Corticotropin-releasing hormone and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in psychiatric disease

Adolescent binge alcohol exposure increases risk assessment behaviors in male Wistar rats after exposure to an acute psychological stressor in adulthood

“…Indeed, in humans, risk assessment in the form of rumination is highly associated with anxiety (Blanchard et al, 2011), and HPA axis dysfunction is observed across many mood disorders (Naughton et al, 2014), underpinning the relevance of our observations in this animal model. Because the rats in this study were exposed to alcohol during a shorter, distinct developmental time period (peri-puberty) and were tested under less stressful conditions (i.e.…”

“…HPA axis dysfunction has also been reported among female college students who engage in problematic drinking (Wemm et al, 2013). Importantly, dysfunction of the HPA axis is associated with many psychiatric disorders, including anxiety (Naughton et al, 2014), raising the possibility that adolescent binge drinking might increase the risk of mental health disorders by altering the function of the HPA axis.…”

Prenatal stress-induced alterations in major physiological systems correlate with gut microbiota composition in adulthood

“…Human studies evidence similar associations between PNS and HPA axis hyperfunction in children (Glover et al, 2010). Given that hyper-responsiveness of the HPA axis has been associated with numerous pathological conditions including anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, depression and functional GI disorders (Kennedy et al, 2014;Naughton et al, 2013), this may have a high cost for the individual later in life. Excessive reactivity of stress response also implicates elevation of the SNS drive, which in turn may contribute to the development of arterial hypertension (Mancia et al, 1999).…”

Early-life adversity and brain development: Is the microbiome a missing piece of the puzzle?

“…Altered HPA axis responses are associated with a number of psychiatric diseases (Stetler and Miller, 2011, Naughton et al, 2014, Harris et al, 2015 as well as functional gastrointestinal disorders with a central component such as irritable bowel syndrome (Heitkemper et al, 2012. Studies in adults reveal that childhood maltreatment is associated with an increased HPA response to stress and is the strongest predictor of adrenocorticotrophin releasing hormone (ACTH) responsiveness, followed by the number of abuse events, adulthood traumas, and depression (Heim et al, 2000, Heim et al, 2008, Anacker et al, 2014.…”