Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chuin Hau Teo, Ally Chai Hui Wong, Rooba Nair Sivakumaran, Ishwar Parhar, Tomoko Soga
Summary: Stress has a significant impact on mental health, and there are gender differences in stress response and mental disorders. However, there is limited research on the neuronal mechanisms of these gender differences. Recent clinical studies have discussed the role of gender and cortisol in depression, as well as the differences in glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) between males and females in stress-associated mental disorders. The functional heterogeneity and imbalance of GRs and MRs in the brain may explain the gender differences in mental disorders. Understanding these mechanisms can contribute to the development of gender-specific diagnostic markers for depression involving GRs and MRs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Margaux Laulhe, Laurence Dumeige, Thi An Vu, Imene Hani, Eric Pussard, Marc Lombes, Say Viengchareun, Laetitia Martinerie
Summary: Sexual dimorphism involves differences between biological sexes beyond sexual characteristics, impacting biological processes such as blood pressure and predisposition to develop hypertension. Recent studies suggest distinct tissue-specific expression and regulation of corticosteroid signaling pathways in a sex-dependent manner, particularly in the kidney, which may have significant physiological implications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Itiana Castro Menezes, Cristiane von Werne Baes, Fernanda Viana Figaro-Drumond, Brisa Burgos Dias Macedo, Ana Carolina Bueno, Riccardo Lacchini, Marcelo Feijo de Mello, Margaret de Castro, Mario Francisco Juruena
Summary: The study found that basal aldosterone levels may be a biomarker for differentiating between bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. Cortisol and ELS also play a role in distinguishing these two mood disorders.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Carol Best, Erin Faught, Mathilakath M. Vijayan, Kathleen M. Gilmour
Summary: The formation of dominance hierarchies in juvenile rainbow trout results in chronically elevated plasma cortisol levels in subordinate individuals. The mechanisms contributing to this chronic cortisol elevation during social stress are not well established, but the study found that negative feedback and clearance mechanisms appear unaffected. However, subtle regulatory changes in the pituitary may alter negative feedback, contributing to the observed cortisol elevation during social subordination.
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Geovan Menezes de Sousa Junior, Hector David Quinones Vargas, Flavio Freitas Barbosa, Nicole Leite Galvao-Coelho
Summary: The stress response is a set of cognitive, physiological, and behavioral responses that have evolved as a survival strategy; the interaction between stress and memory is complex and depends on various factors; studying the relationship between stress and memory can help explore their potential implications for psychiatric disorders and roles in the field of psychiatry.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Shabaz Sendi, Susanne Fischer, Andrew Papadopoulos, Lucia Poon, Lena J. J. Rane, Abebaw Fekadu, Valeria Mondelli, Anthony J. J. Cleare
Summary: This study found that patients with major depressive disorder have higher cortisol levels after awakening compared to healthy controls, but this difference only exists in patients reporting childhood trauma. The results suggest that early life stress may impact the biological markers of individuals with major depressive disorder. Therefore, tailored treatments may be needed for this population.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Hannah M. Costello, Georgios Krilis, Celine Grenier, David Severs, Alicja Czopek, Jessica R. Ivy, Mark Nixon, Megan C. Holmes, Dawn E. W. Livingstone, Ewout J. Hoorn, Neeraj Dhaun, Matthew A. Bailey
Summary: High salt intake activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to excess glucocorticoid levels and impacting glucocorticoid biology.
CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David G. Valcarce, Marta F. Riesco, Juan Manuel Martinez-Vazquez, Jose Luis Rodriguez Villanueva, Vanesa Robles
Summary: This experiment aimed to evaluate the potential links between handling during culture with stress responses and growth on Senegalese sole. The results showed that reducing handling-derived stressors led to lower levels of circulating cortisol in the fish and promoted higher growth. The gene expression study further supported the findings of this experiment.
FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Petr Bob, Tereza Petraskova Touskova, Ondrej Pec, Jiri Raboch, Nash Boutros, Paul Lysaker
Summary: This study found a significant correlation between hair cortisol levels and stress symptoms as well as complex partial seizure-like symptoms in patients experiencing their initial episode of psychosis. However, there was no significant correlation between hair cortisol levels and symptoms of anxiety and depression. These findings suggest a potential relationship between epileptic-like symptoms and stress responses in patients during their first psychotic episode.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Xiaoqing Zhang, Xiaolin Yang, Bing Chen, Kaifeng Shen, Guolong Liu, Zhongke Wang, Kaixuan Huang, Gang Zhu, Tingting Wang, Shengqing Lv, Chunqing Zhang, Hui Yang, Zhi Hou, Shiyong Liu
Summary: Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) play an important role in epilepsy in focal cortical dysplasia II (FCDII) and GR activation may have protective and antiepileptic effects in FCDII.
EXPERT OPINION ON THERAPEUTIC TARGETS
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Jorge E. Aedo, Rodrigo Zuloaga, Daniela Aravena-Canales, Alfredo Molina, Juan Antonio Valdes
Summary: Cortisol is a crucial regulator of neuroendocrine stress responses in teleost, acting through the modulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). A study using RNA-seq analysis explored the differential contribution of GR and MR in the global transcriptional response in teleost skeletal muscle. The findings highlighted the importance of understanding the role of these receptors in stress response.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alexander Goikoetxea, Bastien Sadoul, Eva Blondeau-Bidet, Johan Aerts, Marie-Odile Blanc, Hugues Parrinello, Celia Barrachina, Marine Pratlong, Benjamin Geffroy
Summary: Global climate change-induced changes in ocean water temperature are likely to significantly impact fish populations, potentially leading to major economic consequences in aquaculture and fisheries. Research on the stress physiology of European sea bass larvae and juveniles under short-term or long-term exposure to warm temperatures revealed that cortisol released into the water can serve as a reliable indicator of acute thermal stress. Different effects on the genetic cascade underlying stress response were observed between long-term low and high thermal treatments, indicating distinct adaptive mechanisms controlling primary and secondary responses to stress.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eva Vallejos-Vidal, Ali Reza Khansari, Mariana Teles, Sebastian Reyes-Cerpa, Juan Miguel Mancera, Lluis Tort, Felipe E. Reyes-Lopez
Summary: This study elucidated the nucleotide sequences for gr1 and gr2 in gilthead sea bream, and found issues with the naming criteria for these sequences. The study calls for an updated agreement to homogenize the criteria for nomenclature, in order to better understand the stress response in teleost fish species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
E. Ronald de Kloet, Marian Joels
Summary: The glucocorticoid hormones cortisol and corticosterone play a role in promoting resilience by activating mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. MR facilitates memory retrieval and stress-coping selection, while GR promotes recovery and cognitive control over emotional reactivity. The balance between MR and GR activation is important for resilience, and disruptions in this balance may lead to chronic stress and increased vulnerability. Novel modulators of MR and GR may help reinstate cognitive flexibility required for resilience.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Gabriela P. Finkielstain, Ana Vieites, Ignacio Bergada, Rodolfo A. Rey
Summary: Disorders of Sex Development (DSD) refer to anomalies in fetal sexual differentiation resulting in discordance between chromosomal sex and gonadal or genitalia sex. DSD can be associated with adrenal disorders in both 46,XX and 46,XY individuals, with different pathogenic mechanisms. The pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management of these disorders are reviewed, focusing on biomarkers and therapeutic development.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
