The glucocorticoid hypothesis of depression: history and perspectives

An abnormality in adaptation to negative life events is considered as one of the main causes of the development of depressive symptoms. According to the corticosteroid receptor hypothesis of depression, stress-induced activation of the hypothalamicpituitary- adrenal (HPA) axis plays an important rol...

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Main Authors: G. T. Shishkina, N. N. Dygalo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, The Vavilov Society of Geneticists and Breeders 2016-05-01
Series:Вавиловский журнал генетики и селекции
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Online Access:https://vavilov.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/586
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author G. T. Shishkina
N. N. Dygalo
author_facet G. T. Shishkina
N. N. Dygalo
author_sort G. T. Shishkina
collection DOAJ
description An abnormality in adaptation to negative life events is considered as one of the main causes of the development of depressive symptoms. According to the corticosteroid receptor hypothesis of depression, stress-induced activation of the hypothalamicpituitary- adrenal (HPA) axis plays an important role in the induction of psycho-emotional disturbances. The end products of this axis, glucocorticoids, are involved in the formation of many physiological and behavioral responses to stress. Although the increase in hormone levels following a short-term intervention is directed towards rapid mobilization of the body’s efforts for overcoming potentially dangerous situation, a long-term exposure to stress or glucocorticoids may have negative consequences for mood or behavior. With respect to mechanisms of changing effects of glucocorticoids from protective to damaging, glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) received most attention. These receptors are widely expressed in the brain. They are important regulators of the transcriptional activities of numerous genes, including the gene for such a plasticity-related protein as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which has been implicated in psychiatric disorders. In addition to direct effects on gene transcription, changes in expression of GR themselves resulting from stress and/or glucocorticoid effects, in turn can modify the functional responses to subsequent stimuli. The purpose of this review was to analyze available literature data on the effects of stress and glucocorticoids on the expression of GR in the hippocampus, which is traditionally considered as the most sensitive to stress brain structure. The review also addresses the implication of GR and BDNF interplay in the pathogenesis of stress-related disorders.
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spelling doaj-art-4779162d7084429f88fe9adb912619832025-02-01T09:58:02ZengSiberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, The Vavilov Society of Geneticists and BreedersВавиловский журнал генетики и селекции2500-32592016-05-0120219820310.18699/VJ16.155465The glucocorticoid hypothesis of depression: history and perspectivesG. T. Shishkina0N. N. Dygalo1Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk, RussiaInstitute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, RussiaAn abnormality in adaptation to negative life events is considered as one of the main causes of the development of depressive symptoms. According to the corticosteroid receptor hypothesis of depression, stress-induced activation of the hypothalamicpituitary- adrenal (HPA) axis plays an important role in the induction of psycho-emotional disturbances. The end products of this axis, glucocorticoids, are involved in the formation of many physiological and behavioral responses to stress. Although the increase in hormone levels following a short-term intervention is directed towards rapid mobilization of the body’s efforts for overcoming potentially dangerous situation, a long-term exposure to stress or glucocorticoids may have negative consequences for mood or behavior. With respect to mechanisms of changing effects of glucocorticoids from protective to damaging, glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) received most attention. These receptors are widely expressed in the brain. They are important regulators of the transcriptional activities of numerous genes, including the gene for such a plasticity-related protein as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which has been implicated in psychiatric disorders. In addition to direct effects on gene transcription, changes in expression of GR themselves resulting from stress and/or glucocorticoid effects, in turn can modify the functional responses to subsequent stimuli. The purpose of this review was to analyze available literature data on the effects of stress and glucocorticoids on the expression of GR in the hippocampus, which is traditionally considered as the most sensitive to stress brain structure. The review also addresses the implication of GR and BDNF interplay in the pathogenesis of stress-related disorders.https://vavilov.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/586stressglucocorticoid receptorsbdnf
spellingShingle G. T. Shishkina
N. N. Dygalo
The glucocorticoid hypothesis of depression: history and perspectives
Вавиловский журнал генетики и селекции
stress
glucocorticoid receptors
bdnf
title The glucocorticoid hypothesis of depression: history and perspectives
title_full The glucocorticoid hypothesis of depression: history and perspectives
title_fullStr The glucocorticoid hypothesis of depression: history and perspectives
title_full_unstemmed The glucocorticoid hypothesis of depression: history and perspectives
title_short The glucocorticoid hypothesis of depression: history and perspectives
title_sort glucocorticoid hypothesis of depression history and perspectives
topic stress
glucocorticoid receptors
bdnf
url https://vavilov.elpub.ru/jour/article/view/586
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