title: Modulation of stress by imidazoline binding sites: implications for psychiatric disorders.
abstract: In this review, we present evidence for the involvement of imidazoline binding sites (IBS) in modulating responses to stress, through central control of monoaminergic and hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. Pharmacological and physiological evidence is presented for differential effects of different IBS subtypes on serotoninergic and catecholaminergic pathways involved in control of basal and stress-stimulated HPA axis activity. IBS ligands can modulate behavioural and neuroendocrine responses in animal models of stress, depression and anxiety, and a body of evidence exists for alterations in central IBS expression in psychiatric patients, which can be normalised partially or fully by treatment with antidepressants. Dysfunction in monoaminergic systems and the HPA axis under basal and stress-induced activation has been extensively reported in psychiatric illnesses. On the basis of the literature, we suggest a potential therapeutic role for selective IBS ligands in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, NCBES Neuroscience Cluster, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Jessop
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Finn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D054755:Imidazoline Receptors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: C105826:BU 224; D007093:Imidazoles; D054755:Imidazoline Receptors; D009638:Norepinephrine