A Decrease in Cortisol Triggers a Negative Feedback Loop and Causes

Question

A decrease in cortisol triggers a negative feedback loop and causes release of _____.  
A) FSH
B) cortisol
C) corticotropin releasing hormone
D) luteinizing hormone
E) TSH

Accepted Answer

When cortisol levels decrease, it triggers a negative feedback loop which causes the release of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus. CRH then stimulates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary gland, which in turn stimulates the adrenal glands to produce and release more cortisol. Therefore, the answer choice is C) corticotropin releasing hormone. None of the other hormones listed are directly involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and cortisol regulation.