Psychoneuroendocrinological contributions to the etiology of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and stress-related bodily disorders: the role of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis

Ehlert, Ulrike; Gaab, Jens; Heinrichs, Markus

doi:10.1016/s0301-0511(01)00092-8

Cited by 446 publications

(288 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Although a substantial literature has identified increased stress hormone levels in populations reporting high levels of distress [8,9,10] and in clinically depressed patients [11,12]; other investigations have not shown these associations [13,14,15] or have reported effects in the opposite direction [16,17]. Inconsistencies in findings may be a function of different methods of sampling hormone levels [18] or differences in the kinds of acute and chronic stressful events studied [19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Moods in everyday situations: effects of menstrual cycle, work, and stress hormones

Davydov¹,

Shapiro

Goldstein

et al. 2005

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

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Objective: This study examined women's mood responsiveness on work and off days during different phases of the menstrual cycle. Methods: Self reports of negative, positive, and energy dimensions of mood were obtained throughout the day on two work and two off days during the luteal and follicular phases of the menstrual cycle in 203 women nurses. Individual differences in daytime and nighttime epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol were assessed. Results: High daytime norepinephrine, epinephrine, and cortisol levels were associated with higher ratings of stress and tired, and with lower ratings of happy. Phase of the menstrual cycle and the day factor (work day, off day) were also associated with mood differences, and the direction of the effects depended on hormone levels and hormone sampling period. Conclusion: The experience of moods is affected by arousalrelated interaction of hormone levels with phase of the menstrual cycle and occupational stress.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Moods in everyday situations: effects of menstrual cycle, work, and stress hormones

Davydov¹,

Shapiro

Goldstein

et al. 2005

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

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“…The extensive literature published over the last several decades indicates that abnormal HPA axis activity in adults with MDD is among the most consistent and robust biological findings in psychiatry to date [14][15][16] . Adults with depression disproportionately show chronic hyperactivity of the HPA axis and an inability of this system to return to a normal rhythm following long-term exposure to stressors [17] .…”

mentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Many of the hallmark symptoms of depression refl ect processes of hypothalamic dysfunction, such as disturbances of mood, appetite, sleep, sex-drive, and motivation. Although there is considerable evidence that three monoaminergic systems (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine), as well as the glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid systems are involved in the pathogenesis of depression, other circuits are clearly involved, such as the arginine-vasopressin (AVP)/ corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) peptide system, which has been shown to regulate the functional activity of the HPA axis [12,13] .The extensive literature published over the last several decades indicates that abnormal HPA axis activity in adults with MDD is among the most consistent and robust biological findings in psychiatry to date [14][15][16] . Adults with depression disproportionately show chronic hyperactivity of the HPA axis and an inability of this system to return to a normal rhythm following long-term exposure to stressors [17] .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function during perinatal depression

et al. 2015

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Abnormal function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is an important pathological finding in pregnant women exhibiting major depressive disorder. They show high levels of cortisol proinflammatory cytokines, hypothalamic-pituitary peptide hormones and catecholamines, along with low dehydroepiandrosterone levels in plasma. During pregnancy, the TH2 balance together with the immune system and placental factors play crucial roles in the development of the fetal allograft to full term. These factors, when altered, may generate a persistent dysfunction of the HPA axis that may lead to an overt transfer of cortisol and toxicity to the fetus at the expense of reduced activity of placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2. Epigenetic modifications also may contribute to the dysregulation of the HPA axis. Affective disorders in pregnant women should be taken seriously, and therapies focused on preventing the deleterious effects of stressors should be implemented to promote the welfare of both mother and baby.Keywords: brain; depression; neuroendocrine; pregnancy; stress; glucocorticoids Extensive studies have demonstrated that early life stressors produce changes in behavior and enhance the sensitivity of the stress response systems [1][2][3][4] . Although the genetic background has been implicated in the development of mood-related disorders, and genetic research has identified some chromosomal regions and genes that are involved in susceptibility to mood disorders, the etiology of anxiety and depressive disorders is still not clear in humans, particularly in women with major depressive disorder (MDD) [1] .The pathogenesis of perinatal depression is an emerging field. Although considerable progress has been made in this area in the last few years, there still remain unanswered questions and gaps in our knowledge of the underlying pathogenesis, the long-term impact of perinatal depression on the developing fetus, and the best methods for counseling pregnant women concerning the risks of untreated MDD versus the risks of psychopharmacologic treatment during pregnancy and lactation [5] . Meta-analysis studies have reported that the mean prevalence rate of prenatal depression is ~12% (this varies greatly according to location, mode of assessment, and socioeconomic conditions), and show that a large percentage of pregnant women displaying major depression remain depressed in the postpartum period and/or continuously [6,7] . Anxiety, depressive disorder, and stress during pregnancy are risk Phillipe Leff Gelman, et al. HPA axis in perinatal depression 339 factors for negative outcomes in newborns, like preterm birth or low birth weight; also, insecure attachment and impaired child development could be a consequence of mental disorders during pregnancy [6,[8][9][10] . The mechanisms by which maternal depression impacts fetal and neonatal development are currently under investigation; there is some evidence that depressive symptoms impact the infant's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, enhancing the ...

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“…The addictive diseases and several other psychiatric disorders are characterized by alterations in the stress responsive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (Ehlert et al, 2001;Kreek and Koob, 1998). In the case of the addictive diseases, these alterations are primarily due to the pharmacological effects of drugs of abuse but are also influenced by developmental, environmental, and genetic factors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Altered Levels of Basal Cortisol in Healthy Subjects with a 118G Allele in Exon 1 of the Mu Opioid Receptor Gene

Bart

LaForge

Borg

et al. 2006

Neuropsychopharmacol

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The mu opioid receptor is centrally involved in the development of the addictive diseases. It also modulates the stress responsive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Receptors encoded by the variant 118G polymorphism in exon 1 of the mu opioid receptor gene have a threefold increase in beta-endorphin binding and beta-endorphin is three times more potent in receptor-mediated activation of G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channels. Humans with this variant have increased stress response following opioid antagonism. Here, we study basal levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol in subjects with this variant. In all, 59 healthy adults were genotyped and had morning levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol measured following intravenous administration of saline placebo. Subjects with a 118G allele had significantly greater levels of cortisol than subjects with the prototype gene. Groups did not differ in levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone. A planned comparison revealed significantly greater cortisol in females with at least one copy of the 118G allele compared to females with the prototype gene. There was no significant effect of gender alone, nor was there a significant interaction between gender and genotype, on ACTH or cortisol. Subjects with at least one copy of the 118G allele have increased basal levels of cortisol, which may influence the susceptibility to and treatment of the stress responsive dyscrasia.

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Psychoneuroendocrinological contributions to the etiology of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and stress-related bodily disorders: the role of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis

Cited by 446 publications

References 72 publications

Moods in everyday situations: effects of menstrual cycle, work, and stress hormones

Moods in everyday situations: effects of menstrual cycle, work, and stress hormones

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function during perinatal depression

Altered Levels of Basal Cortisol in Healthy Subjects with a 118G Allele in Exon 1 of the Mu Opioid Receptor Gene

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