George Has Gone into a Deep Depression After the Death

question 62

Multiple Choice

George has gone into a deep depression after the death of his wife, for whom he had provided daily care for over 2 years after her first stroke. What role might cortisol play?

• A)Over-response of the hippocampus may have led to reduced cortisol in the bloodstream, which is associated with depression.
• B)Under-response of the hippocampus may have led to reduced cortisol in the bloodstream, which is associated with depression.
• C)Consistently elevated levels of cortisol due to stress can overwhelm the hippocampus's feedback loop and lead to excess levels of cortisol in the bloodstream, which is associated with depression.
• D)Erratic levels of cortisol due to stress can disrupt the hippocampus's feedback loop and lead to erratic levels of cortisol in the bloodstream, which is associated with manic depression.