Sex Differences in the Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Response to Inflammatory and Neuroendocrine Stressors

Spinedi, Eduardo; Salas, Margarita; Chisari, Andrea N.; Perone, Marcelo J.; Carino, Mónica Herminia; Gaillard, Rolf C.

doi:10.1159/000126804

Cited by 61 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Indeed, female Fischer rats show an immediate rise of plasma corticosterone following centrally applied CRH, compared to the relatively delayed increase observed in female Lewis rats (Windle et al, 1998). Likewise, it has been demonstrated that female Fischer rats are more sensitive to CRH-induced ACTH augmentation than Lewis rats (Spinedi et al, 1994). These findings, taken together with the strain differences we observed in both CRH and corticosterone availability at the anterior pituitary gland, suggest that at least one of the underlying mechanisms mediating the strain differences may be related to the apparent strain-dependent sensitivity to the effects of CRH, which would then impact stressor-associated HPA activation and behavioral change (Berridge and Dunn, 1989).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Differential Impact of Audiogenic Stressors on Lewis and Fischer Rats: Behavioral, Neurochemical, and Endocrine Variations

Michaud

McLean

Keith

et al. 2003

Neuropsychopharmacol

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Exposure to intense noise can trigger a cascade of neuroendocrine events reminiscent of a stress response, including activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. Using male Fischer and Lewis rats, which exhibit differences in their corticosterone response to stressors, this investigation assessed effects of acute noise exposure on neurochemical and neuroendocrine responses. In response to the noise exposure, Fischer rats displayed greater plasma adrenocorticotropin-releasing hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone responses than their Lewis counterparts. However, both strains responded with similar increases of plasma prolactin, suggesting that strain differences in the HPA response were not likely because of differences in noise perception. Post-mortem analyses revealed that noise exposure induced strain-dependent variations of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) across several brain regions. These effects were evident irrespective of whether the rats were noise exposed in a familiar (home cage) or unfamiliar environment. In vivo, dynamic assessment of immunoreactive (ir)-CRH at the pituitary gland revealed that noise exposure elicited an immediate rise in ir-CRH among Fischer rats, relative to the delayed response in Lewis rats. Similarly, the rise in local interstitial corticosterone was more rapid and pronounced in Fischer rats. In contrast to these differences, ir-CRH released at the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) was gradual and protracted following noise exposure in both strains. Behaviorally, the Fischer rats displayed an active stress response, whereas the Lewis strain adopted freezing as a defensive style. The role of CRH in the genesis of the overall straindependent response to stressors is discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Differential Impact of Audiogenic Stressors on Lewis and Fischer Rats: Behavioral, Neurochemical, and Endocrine Variations

Michaud

McLean

Keith

et al. 2003

Neuropsychopharmacol

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“…The suppression of response observed in male rats contrasts with a hyperresponsiveness in female animals exposed to stress (Spinedi et al, 1994). This difference is not simply a reflection of the attenuated response of males but represents a positive enhancement of responsiveness by estradiol (E), with ovariectomy reducing responsiveness and E replacement returning stress-responsiveness to levels observed in intact females (Leniewska et al, 1990).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Mammals also display gender-related differences in responsiveness to stress (Aloisi et al, 1994;Heuser et al, 1994;Spinedi et al, 1994) and reduced responsiveness of the pituitary-adrenal axis to stress in mammals has been linked to elevated androgen levels (Boissy and Bouissou, 1994;Bingaman et al, 1995) while enhancement of responsiveness has been linked to estrogen in the female (Burgess and Handa, 1992). Androgenic suppression of the HPA axis has evolved in mammals to reduce the impact of stress on reproductive processes (Handa et al, 1994) while the enhanced stress responsiveness of the female may be a mechanism whereby environmental conditions unfavourable to reproduction can inhibit reproductive processes (Viau and Meaney, 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testosterone, 11-Ketotestosterone, and Estradiol-17β Modify Baseline and Stress-Induced Interrenal and Corticotropic Activity in Trout

Pottinger

Carrick

Hughes

et al. 1996

General and Comparative Endocrinology

110

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Article (refereed) -postprintPottinger, T.G.; Carrick, T.R.; Hughes, S.E.; Balm, P.H.M.. 1996 Testosterone, 11-ketotestosterone and estradiol-17β modify baseline and stress-induced interrenal and corticotropic activity in trout. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 104 (3). 284-295. 10.1006/gcen.1996.0173 Contact CEH NORA team at noraceh@ceh.ac.ukThe NERC and CEH trademarks and logos ('the Trademarks') are registered trademarks of NERC in the UK and other countries, and may not be used without the prior written consent of the Trademark owner. ABSTRACTEstradiol-17β (E), 11-ketotestosterone (KT), and testosterone (T) were administered to immature rainbow and brown trout by implantation of steroid-containing cocoa-butter pellets.This procedure elevated the levels of these hormones in the blood of the treated fish and had significant effects on plasma ACTH and cortisol levels in both unstressed and stressed rainbow trout and in stressed brown trout. E treatment significantly elevated resting levels of ACTH and cortisol and KT significantly suppressed resting ACTH levels in rainbow trout, although no effect of KT was noted on baseline cortisol levels. One hour of confinement stress increased ACTH levels in rainbow trout, but less so in T-and KT-implanted fish than in sham-implanted fish. A similar pattern was observed in stress-induced plasma cortisol levels where T and KT treatment of rainbow trout resulted in a more than 50% attenuation of plasma cortisol levels while E-implantation significantly increased stress-induced plasma cortisol levels. In brown trout subjected to confinement stress for 96h, within 1h of the onset of confinement the stress-induced increase in plasma ACTH and plasma cortisol was significantly lower in T-and KT-implanted fish than in sham-implanted controls. However, these differences were not sustained at subsequent sample points during the 96h period of continuous confinement. Nonetheless, overall mean ACTH levels for the entire confinement period were significantly enhanced in E-implanted brown trout and significantly reduced in KT-implanted fish. Overall mean cortisol levels were significantly lower in T-and KT-implanted fish. The enhancement of stress responsiveness observed in E-treated immature fish was not observed during confinement stress in untreated mature female trout, with naturally high plasma E levels. However, untreated mature male trout displayed a significantly reduced cortisol response to confinement. It is suggested that gonadal steroids are involved in the regulation of both baseline and stress-induced activity of the pituitary-interrenal axis in salmonid fish.3

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“…Sex-differences in the endocrine response to fear conditioning are important for two main reasons. First, sex differences in ACTH response to stress in rats appear to be dependent on the particular type of stressor studied (Babb et al, 2013b;Spinedi et al, 1994;Watanobe, 2002). Second, characterization of ACTH response to fear-conditioning can contribute to determine whether or not females are actually less sensitive than males to fear conditioning.…”

Section: Accepted M Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in the behavioural and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal response to contextual fear conditioning in rats

Daviu

Andero

Armario

et al. 2014

Hormones and Behavior

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SummaryIn recent years, special attention is being paid to sex differences in susceptibility to disease. In this regard, there is evidence that male rats present higher levels of both cued and contextual fear conditioning than females. However, little is known about the concomitant hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to those situations which is critical in emotional memories.Here, we studied the behavioural and HPA responses of male and female Wistar rats to context fear conditioning using electric footshock as the aversive stimulus. Fear-conditioned rats showed a much greater ACTH and corticosterone response than those merely exposed to the fear conditioning chamber without receiving shocks. Moreover, males presented higher levels of freezing whereas HPA axis response was greater in females. Accordingly, during the fear extinction tests, female rats consistently showed less freezing and higher extinction rate, but greater HPA activation than males. Exposure to an open-field resulted in lower activity/exploration in fear-conditioned males, but not females, suggesting greater conditioned cognitive generalization in males than females. It can be concluded that important sex differences in fear conditioning are observed in both freezing and HPA activation, but the two set of variables are affected in the opposite direction: enhanced behavioural impact in males, but enhanced HPA responsiveness in females. Thus, the role of sex differences on fear-related stimuli may depend on the variables chosen to evaluate it, the greater responsiveness of the HPA axis in females perhaps being an important factor to be further explored.

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Sex Differences in the Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Response to Inflammatory and Neuroendocrine Stressors

Cited by 61 publications

References 21 publications

Differential Impact of Audiogenic Stressors on Lewis and Fischer Rats: Behavioral, Neurochemical, and Endocrine Variations

Differential Impact of Audiogenic Stressors on Lewis and Fischer Rats: Behavioral, Neurochemical, and Endocrine Variations

Testosterone, 11-Ketotestosterone, and Estradiol-17β Modify Baseline and Stress-Induced Interrenal and Corticotropic Activity in Trout

Sex differences in the behavioural and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal response to contextual fear conditioning in rats

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