title: Chronic Stress and Glucocorticoids: From Neuronal Plasticity to Neurodegeneration.
abstract: Stress and stress hormones, glucocorticoids (GCs), exert widespread actions in central nervous system, ranging from the regulation of gene transcription, cellular signaling, modulation of synaptic structure, and transmission and glial function to behavior. Their actions are mediated by glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors which are nuclear receptors/transcription factors. While GCs primarily act to maintain homeostasis by inducing physiological and behavioral adaptation, prolonged exposure to stress and elevated GC levels may result in neuro- and psychopathology. There is now ample evidence for cause-effect relationships between prolonged stress, elevated GC levels, and cognitive and mood disorders while the evidence for a link between chronic stress/GC and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's (PD) diseases is growing. This brief review considers some of the cellular mechanisms through which stress and GC may contribute to the pathogenesis of AD and PD.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Adaptive Behaviors, Department of Neuroscience Paris Seine, INSERM U1130, CNRS UMR 8246, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris Cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Sheela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.affiliation: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana João
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joana Margarida
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Adaptive Behaviors, Department of Neuroscience Paris Seine, INSERM U1130, CNRS UMR 8246, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris Cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tronche
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Osborne F X
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sotiropoulos
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids