Chapter 10 Stress
In this chapter Ridley mentions that when the body needs to convert cholesterol into cortisol, testosterone, and oestradiol, it uses a gene called CYP17 located on chromosome 10. CYP17 najes an enzyme that allows the body to make this conversion happen. Without the enzyme, the pathway are blocked and the only progeserone and corticosterone are made from cholesterol. For ex. people who don't a have a copy of this gene cannot make sex hormones so they can't go through puberty, and if hes a male then he would look like a girl. Cortisol is a stress hormone. It interrogates the body and mind by changing the configuration of the brain, changes he sensitibity of the ears, noses, and eyes, and interferes with the immune system. Cortisol is released when the brain signals stress and sets off triggers, which are basically turning genes on and off. If you have a lot of cortisol in your bloodstream, there a high chance you can get heart disease. This explains why some people get heart problems if they are really stress, mad, or even emotional.
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