A transverse section of the adult spinal cord shows white matter in the periphery, gray matter inside, and a tiny central canal filled with CSF at its center. Surrounding the canal is a single layer of cells, the ependymal layer.
Cortisol is commonly referred to as the stress hormone.. The hormone is secreted by the adrenal glands and released into the bloodstream as a fight or flight response to stress. The highest quantities of cortisol are produced in the early morning hours and then production slowly tapers off throughout the day.
What is Cortisol? Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is produced in the adrenal cortex. The test done to ascertain the levels of this steroid hormone is known as a cortisol level test. The adrenal cortex releases this particular hormone as a response to the ACTH hormone which is secreted by the pituitary gland.