Figure 3

Variations of steady state (a) GR and (b) cortisol with k _rd . Solid and dashed lines denote the stable and unstable steady states, respectively. If k _rd for a given patient is in the region where GR and cortisol are multivalued, then the given patient can be pushed from one value of steady state GR or cortisol to equally valid altered steady state levels by the application of an extreme stress.