title: Stress-induced sensitization: the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and beyond.
abstract: Exposure to certain acute and chronic stressors results in an immediate behavioral and physiological response to the situation followed by a period of days when cross-sensitization to further novel stressors is observed. Cross-sensitization affects to different behavioral and physiological systems, more particularly to the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. It appears that the nature of the initial (triggering) stressor plays a major role, HPA cross-sensitization being more widely observed with systemic or high-intensity emotional stressors. Less important appears to be the nature of the novel (challenging) stressor, although HPA cross-sensitization is better observed with short duration (5-15 min) challenging stressors. In some studies with acute immune stressors, HPA sensitization appears to develop over time (incubation), but most results indicate a strong initial sensitization that progressively declines over the days. Sensitization can affect other physiological system (i.e. plasma catecholamines, brain monoamines), but it is not a general phenomenon. When studied concurrently, behavioral sensitization appears to persist longer than that of the HPA axis, a finding of interest regarding long-term consequences of traumatic stress. In many cases, behavioral and physiological consequences of prior stress can only be observed following imposition of a new stressor, suggesting long-term latent effects of the initial exposure.
authors: a Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain .|b Unitat de Fisiologia Animal (Facultat de Biociències), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain .|c Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RTA), Instituto de Salud Carlos III , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain , and.
authors: Xavier
authors: X
authors: Belda
authors: a Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain .|c Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RTA), Instituto de Salud Carlos III , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain , and.|d Unitat de Psicobiologia (Facultat de Psicologia), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Fuentes
authors: a Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain .|b Unitat de Fisiologia Animal (Facultat de Biociències), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain .|c Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RTA), Instituto de Salud Carlos III , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain , and.
authors: Nuria
authors: N
authors: Daviu
authors: a Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain .|c Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RTA), Instituto de Salud Carlos III , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain , and.|d Unitat de Psicobiologia (Facultat de Psicologia), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain.
authors: Roser
authors: R
authors: Nadal
authors: a Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain .|b Unitat de Fisiologia Animal (Facultat de Biociències), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain .|c Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RTA), Instituto de Salud Carlos III , Bellaterra , Barcelona , Spain , and.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Armario
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D059333:Central Nervous System Sensitization; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000378:metabolism*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000378:metabolism; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: ACTH; PTSD; catecholamines; corticosterone; electric shock; immobilization; immune stressors; prolactin