Role of corticosterone in altered neurobehavioral responses to acute stress in a model of compromised hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function

Multiple physiological systems are recruited to aid an organism in overcoming or adapting to stress. Proper engagement of these systems is crucial not only for the adequate response to threat, but also for enabling an organism to return to biological equilibrium once the stressor is terminated (or escaped from). Consequently, many pathological conditions are characterized by inadequate or improper responses to stress (de Kloet et al., 2006; McEwen, 1998; Pariante and Lightman, 2008). Exposure to stress rapidly activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which triggers brain and body-wide physiological changes through the secretion of glucocorticoids.

Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - December 11, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Scott A. Kinlein, Derrick J. Phillips, Chandler R. Keller, Ilia N. Karatsoreos Source Type: research