Regulation of Structural Plasticity and Neurogenesis during Stress and Diabetes; Protective Effects of Glucocorticoid Receptor Antagonists

Abstract

Regulation of structural plasticity and neurogenesis during stress and diabetes; protective effects of glucocorticoid receptor antagonists Lucassen, P.J.; Fitzsimons, C.P.; Vreugdenhil, E.; Hu, P.; Oomen, C.A.; Revsin, Y.; Joëls, M.; de Kloet, E.R. Published in:Hormones in neurodegeneration, neuroprotection, and neurogenesis DOI:10.1002/9783527633968.ch6 Link to publication Citation for published version (APA):Lucassen, P. J., Fitzsimons, C. P., Vreugdenhil, E., Hu, P., Oomen, C., Revsin, Y., ... de Kloet, E. R. (2011). Regulation of structural plasticity and neurogenesis during stress and diabetes; protective effects of glucocorticoid receptor antagonists. In A. G. Gravanis, & S. H. Mellon (Eds.), Hormones in neurodegeneration, neuroprotection, and neurogenesis (pp. 103-120). Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. DOI: 10.1002/9783527633968.ch6 General rightsIt is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Disclaimer/Complaints regulationsIf you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: http://uba.uva.nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible. Paul J. Lucassen, Carlos P. Fitzsimons, Erno Vreugdenhil, Pu Hu, Charlotte Oomen, Yanina Revsin, Marian Joëls, and E. Ron• De Kloet Q1 In this chapter, we will review changes in structural plasticity of the adult hippocampus during stress and exposure to glucocorticoids (GCs). We further discuss the protective and normalizing role of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist treatment under these conditions and its implications for disorders such as depression and diabetes mellitus. The Stress ResponseStress represents an old, yet essential alarm system for an organism. Whenever a discrepancy occurs between an organism's expectations and the reality it encounters, stress systems are activated; particularly when it involves a threat to, or disturbance of its homeostasis, well being, or health. Loss of control, or unpredictability when faced with predator threat in animals, or psychosocial demands in humans, can all produce stress signals. The same holds true for perturbations of a more physical or biological nature, such as energy crises, injury, or inflammation. Upon exposure to a stressor, various sensory and cognitive signals converge to activate a stress response that triggers several adaptive processes in the body and brain which aim to promote restoration of homeostasis.In mammals, Selye [1] noted that the effect of stressors develops in a stereotypic manner. The first phase largely...