TY - JOUR
T1 - Ghrelin's role in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis stress response
T2 - Implications for mood disorders
AU - Spencer, Sarah J.
AU - Emmerzaal, Tim L.
AU - Kozicz, Tamas
AU - Andrews, Zane B.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by a Discovery Project Grant from the Australian Research Council to SJS (DP130100508) and a National Health and Medical Research Council project Grant to ZBA (APP1011274). SJS is an Australian Research Council Future Fellow (FT110100084) and an RMIT University Vice Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow. ZBA is an Australian Research Council Future Fellow (FT100100966).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Society of Biological Psychiatry.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Ghrelin is a stomach hormone normally associated with feeding behavior and energy homeostasis. Recent studies highlight that ghrelin targets the brain to regulate a diverse number of functions, including learning, memory, motivation, stress responses, anxiety, and mood. In this review, we discuss recent animal and human studies showing that ghrelin regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and affects anxiety and mood disorders, such as depression and fear. We address the neural sites of action through which ghrelin regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and associated stress-induced behaviors, including the centrally projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus, the hippocampus, amygdala, locus coeruleus, and the ventral tegmental area. Stressors modulate many behaviors associated with motivation, fear, anxiety, depression, and appetite; therefore, we assess the potential role for ghrelin as a stress feedback signal that regulates these associated behaviors. Finally, we briefly discuss important areas for future research that will help us move closer to potential ghrelin-based therapies to treat stress responses and related disorders.
AB - Ghrelin is a stomach hormone normally associated with feeding behavior and energy homeostasis. Recent studies highlight that ghrelin targets the brain to regulate a diverse number of functions, including learning, memory, motivation, stress responses, anxiety, and mood. In this review, we discuss recent animal and human studies showing that ghrelin regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and affects anxiety and mood disorders, such as depression and fear. We address the neural sites of action through which ghrelin regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and associated stress-induced behaviors, including the centrally projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus, the hippocampus, amygdala, locus coeruleus, and the ventral tegmental area. Stressors modulate many behaviors associated with motivation, fear, anxiety, depression, and appetite; therefore, we assess the potential role for ghrelin as a stress feedback signal that regulates these associated behaviors. Finally, we briefly discuss important areas for future research that will help us move closer to potential ghrelin-based therapies to treat stress responses and related disorders.
KW - Centrally projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus
KW - Depression
KW - Ghrelin
KW - Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
KW - Paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus
KW - Pituitary
KW - Stress
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U2 - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.10.021
DO - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.10.021
M3 - Review article
C2 - 25534754
AN - SCOPUS:84942984855
SN - 0006-3223
VL - 78
SP - 19
EP - 27
JO - Biological Psychiatry
JF - Biological Psychiatry
IS - 1
ER -