Recent advances in stress research: Focus on nitric oxide.
Stress and stress related disorders are a major cause of morbidity and mortality and understanding stress mechanisms is of great importance for devising appropriate therapeutic measures in such situations. The brain and its complex neurotransmitter systems regulate physiological and behavioral responses to a variety of stressors. Several other factors like age, gender and emotionality of the organism, as well as type, intensity and duration of the stressor may decide the nature and extent of stress effects. Nitric oxide (NO) is widely distributed in the brain and its role in Central nervous system (CNS) pathophysiology has been suggested. Recent studies have shown that free radicals and in particular NO may play a crucial role in the regulation of stress effects. All the various factors, mentioned above, that might influence stress responsiveness have been discussed with reference to regulatory role of NO during stress and it appears that NO may act as a therapeutic target for development of novel strategies against stress related disorders.
Department of Pharmacology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India. Electronic address: kavgul2002@yahoo.com.
Kavita
K
Gulati
Department of Pharmacology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India.
Jagdish Chandra
JC
Joshi
Department of Pharmacology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India.
Arunabha
A
Ray
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*
D005609:Free Radicals; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D009569:Nitric Oxide
Age; Gender; Nitric oxide; Stress; Stressor