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Glucocorticoids and the Brain: Neural Mechanisms Regulating the Stress Response

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Glucocorticoid Signaling

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 872))

Abstract

In this chapter, we describe the central role of the brain in the glucocorticoid mediated stress response. We describe the mechanisms by which the brain gauges the severity of stress, mechanisms of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) regulation, and how various sub-systems of the brain respond to glucocorticoid (GC) signaling to regulate stress behavior. In particular, we focus on the hippocampus, pre-frontal cortex, and amygdala, where GCs can induce a series of changes. Finally, we briefly discuss an apparent paradox in GC signaling: while exposure to glucocorticoids promotes the survival of an organism during acute stress, these same hormones in chronic excess can also cause damage and promote illness.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Hans Selye, the father of modern stress research defined stress as the “non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it” [96].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, 430 Li Ka Shing Center #3370, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Shawn N. Shirazi & Aaron R. Friedman

  2. Department of Integrative Biology, Kaufer Lab, University of California, 400 Li Ka Shing Center, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Daniela Kaufer Ph.D.

  3. Department of Psychology, University of California, 3210 Tolman Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    Samuel A. Sakhai Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Shawn N. Shirazi
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  2. Aaron R. Friedman
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  3. Daniela Kaufer Ph.D.
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  4. Samuel A. Sakhai Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Daniela Kaufer Ph.D. or Samuel A. Sakhai Ph.D. .

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  1. Department of Nutritional Science & Toxicology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA

    Jen-Chywan Wang

  2. Division of Endocrinology Metabolism & Lipid Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine Division of Endocrinology, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

    Charles Harris

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Shirazi, S.N., Friedman, A.R., Kaufer, D., Sakhai, S.A. (2015). Glucocorticoids and the Brain: Neural Mechanisms Regulating the Stress Response. In: Wang, JC., Harris, C. (eds) Glucocorticoid Signaling. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 872. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2895-8_10

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