Neuronal actions of glucocorticoids: focus on depression.
Stress, acting through glucocorticoids (GC), has profound effects on brain physiology and pathology and is causally implicated in depressive illness. Here, we consider the information derived from genetic models generated to probe the role of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in depression. This essay also briefly reviews the status of knowledge regarding GC actions on neuronal birth, survival and death from the perspective of the importance of these phenomena in depression.
Yu
Shuang
S
Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804 Munich, Germany.
Holsboer
Florian
F
Almeida
Osborne F X
OF
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000502:physiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone