True or False: Prolonged stress leads to reduced catecholamine action, resulting in potential inefficiency of the immune system.

Prolonged stress can indeed lead to reduced catecholamine action, which negatively impacts various physiological functions, including the efficiency of the immune system. During stressful situations, catecholamines like adrenaline and noradrenaline are released, which initially enhance the body’s ability to respond to stress by increasing heart rate, breathing rate, and energy availability. However, if stress becomes chronic, the continuous presence of stress hormones can lead to a phenomenon known as catecholamine resistance.

As the body becomes less responsive to catecholamines over time, this can impair the immune response. Chronic stress compromises the body's ability to mount an effective immune response by dysregulating immune cell signaling and function. Consequently, this can lead to an increased susceptibility to infections and a reduced ability to heal and recover from illnesses.

Understanding the relationship between prolonged stress and immune function is essential. The correct answer recognizes the validity of this connection, highlighting how the body’s stress response, when overactive and sustained, can ultimately detract from its ability to fight off pathogens and maintain health.