How does a stressful thought end up raising cortisol in the blood? · Grey Matter

A situation judged threatening by the cortex and the amygdala excites the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, which releases CRH into the portal vessels of the pituitary.

How does a stressful thought end up raising cortisol in the blood?

A situation judged threatening by the cortex and the amygdala excites the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, which releases CRH into the portal vessels of the pituitary. The anterior pituitary responds with ACTH into the general circulation, and ACTH stimulates the adrenal cortex to make cortisol, which peaks in the blood about 20 to 30 minutes after the stressor. The chain explains why a purely psychological event (an exam, an argument) produces the same hormonal response as a physical one.