Fight or flight response may originate in our bones

Fight or flight response may originate in our bones

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By Sally Robertson, B.Sc.Sep 13 2019Reviewed by Kate Anderton, B.Sc. (Editor)

A study by researchers at Columbia University suggests that the main coordinator of the body’s fight-or-flight response is not adrenalin, but another hormone called osteocalcin, which is secreted by bone.

“The findings suggest osteocalcin—not adrenaline—is the gatekeeper that determines when bodies shift into fight-or-flight mode,” says study leader Gérard Karsenty.