The role of stress in health and disease

Stress is a physiological and psychological response that is a fundamental component of human existence crucial to survival. The stress response is mediated by the hypothalamus and involves the activation of neural and endocrine systems. It plays a role in the normal, but at times pathological, functioning of immunological, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neurohormonal and nervous systems. This chapter explores the adaptive stress response and considers the role that chronic stress plays in the pathophysiology of mental and physical illness