RESPONSE OF THE PITUITARY-ADRENOCORTICAL SYSTEM TO MENTAL STRAIN IN HEALTHY WOMEN

Abstract

Four young female students subjected to the mental strain of calculating unit figures continuously showed a remarkable decrease in the number of circulating eosinophils (average of 26 per cent in two hours). The result suggests that the pituitary-adrenocortical system was stimulated to such a degree that the “alarm reaction” was initiated, and that the circulating level of cosinophils was lowered due to mental strain.