Corticosterone (Cort)

Corticosterone is a glucocorticoid produced by the adrenal cortex in response to ACTH (adrenocoridotropic hormone), and is the precursor to aldosterone. The production of glucorcorticoids is increased by stress; therefore, corticosterone can be used as a biomarker of stress. Biologists often measure corticosterone in fecal material of the species they are studying.

This non-invasive sample collection procedure has the advantage of not itself causing stress, and thereby increasing corticosterone levels, a common problem where samples for measurement of corticosterone are collected by more invasive means. Plasma corticosterone levels have a circadian variation, and may be important in the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle.Corticosterone (CORT) is a 21 carbon steroid hormone of the corticosteroid type produced in the cortex of the adrenal glands.