Stress-induced GHS-R1a expression in medial prefrontal cortical neurons promotes vulnerability to anxiety in mice.

ABSTRACT: The neural basis of anxiety is unclear, which hinders the treatment of anxiety disorders. Here, we found that αCaMKII⁺ neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC^αCaMKII+) responded to stressors with increased activity both under physiological conditions and after repeated restraint stress (RRS) in mice. Chemogenetic activation of mPFC^αCaMKII+ neurons ameliorated stress-induced anxiety. A delayed increase in the expression of growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHS-R1a), the receptor of the peripheral metabolic hormone ghrelin, in mPFC^αCaMKII+ neurons coincided with reduced excitatory synaptic transmission and the development of RRS-induced enhancement of anxiety-related behavior. Virus-mediated GHS-R1a upregulation in mPFC^αCaMKII+

SUBMITTER: Yang L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11906648 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature