Stress-Response

HIPPOCAMPUS

• Hippocampus possesses high levels of receptors for glucocorticoids

• it is important for glucocorticoid negative feedback (limiting HPA axis)

• lesioning the hippocampus will increase activity of HPA axis

• chronic exposure to glucocorticoids leads to damage of neurons within hippocampus (even loss of neurons) and to decreased glucocorticoid negative feedback

• decreased negative feedback leads to dysregulation of HPA axis and increased HPA axis activity

chronic exposure to

glucocorticoids

decreased glucocorticoid

negative feedback

damage to

hippocampus

increased activity

of HPA axis

• increase in CRH in brain

• increase in basal glucocorticoids

• increase in adrenal gland size

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