Figure 1.

The three-way interaction of alcohol, cortisol secretion, and the aging process. Cortisol secretion is an indicator of the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a hormone system that coordinates the stress response. Alcohol consumption stimulates cortisol secretion (1a). In turn, cortisol facilitates alcohol’s rewarding effects (1b). Chronic alcohol consumption also can lead to premature and/or exaggerated aging (2a). Conversely, the aging process results in increased blood alcohol levels following consumption of the same alcohol dose as well as increased vulnerability to alcohol’s effects, including alcohol’s abuse potential (2b). Finally, chronic cortisol elevation also results in premature and/or exaggerated aging (3a), and the aging process can lead to increased cortisol secretion by impairing the organism’s ability to adapt to stress (3b).