Epigenetic programming of the neuroendocrine stress response by adult life stress

作者：Bart C.J. Dirven, Judith Regina Homberg, Tamás Kozicz, Marloes J. A. G. Henckens · 发表于：Journal of Molecular Endocrinology · 年份：2017 · DOI：10.1530/jme-17-0019 · 被引用次数：135 · 研究领域：Stress Responses and Cortisol、Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior、Birth, Development, and Health

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is critically involved in the neuroendocrine regulation of stress adaptation, and the restoration of homeostasis following stress exposure. Dysregulation of this axis is associated with stress-related pathologies like major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder and chronic anxiety. It has long been understood that stress during early life can have a significant lasting influence on the development of the neuroendocrine system and its neural regulators, partially by modifying epigenetic regulation of gene expression, with implications for health and well-being in later life. Evidence is accumulating that epigenetic plasticity also extends to adulthood, proposing it as a mechanism by which psychological trauma later in life can long-lastingly affect HPA axis function, brain plasticity, neuronal function and behavioural adaptation to neuropsychological stress. Further corroborating this claim is the phenomenon that these epigenetic changes correlate with the behavioural consequences of trauma exposure. Thereby, epigenetic modifications provide a putative molecular mechanism by which the behavioural phenotype and transcriptional/translational potential of genes involved in HPA axis regulation can change drastically in response to environmental challenges, and appear an important target for treatment of stress-related disorders. However, improved insight is required to increase their therapeutic (drug) pot...