Figure 3.

Putative mechanisms involved in GC release, visceral adipose tissue accumulation, and the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. Cortisol, the major glucocorticoid in humans, is secreted in response to stressful events under the control of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis. Cortisol exerts several cellular and metabolic effects in adipocytes, eventually promoting visceral obesity and the development of metabolic syndrome. CRH – corticotropin‐releasing hormone; ACTH – adrenocorticotropic hormone (Parades & Ribeiro, 2013)