Reaction of the Adrenal Cortex

^THOUGH it has been generally assumed that psychological forces influence adrenocortical activity, the number of published studies on this subject is limited. Many of these studies have been made on small animals where the extrapolation of results to man is at best controversial.' ~21> 3Ti 42 Investigations in man have been generally indecisive because of the inadequacy of methods used to assess adrenocortical function.' ' 15.19,25,28,30,31.33,38,40 N e w m e t n o d s of analysis for steroids of adrenocortical origin in blood and urine have made possible a more quantitative approach to the problem. This study was designed to investigate the influence of psychological stress upon adrenocortical function, and to compare the changes in the 17-hydroxycorticosteroid levels found during emotional upset with those produced by other physical, chemical and endocrine stresses.