Work

Update on stress and depression: the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis

Year: 2003

Type: review

Abstract: Over the past 50 years, relationships between stress and the neurobiological changes seen in psychiatric disorders have been well-documented. A major focus of investigations in this area has been the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, both as a marker of stress response and as a mediator of additional downstream pathophysiologic changes. This review examines the emerging literature concerning the relationship between stress, HPA axis function, and depression, as well as the role of early life stress as an important risk factor for HPA axis dysregulation. The more recent studies reviewed suggest that the prominence of HPA axis hyperactivity in adults with depressive and anxiety disorders may constitute a link between the occurrence of adversity in childhood and the development of adult psychopathology.

Source: Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1590/s1516-44462003000400010

Authors: Andrea de Abreu Feijó de Mello, Marcelo Feijó de Mello, Linda L Carpenter, Lawrence H Price

Institutions: Brown University, Butler Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Stress Responses and Cortisol

Subfield: Behavioral Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, National Institute of Mental Health