Endocrine Abstracts

In mammals, a master pacemaker residing in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) and subordinate clocks found throughout the body coordinate circadian rhythms of behavior and physiology. One prominent physiological rhythm is the release of glucocorticoids (GCs) by the adrenal gland, brought about by the rhythmic activation of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (hpa) axis and the secretion of ACTH from the pituitary. In humans, blood GC levels peak in the earl...