Sex-specific effects of chronic unpredictable stress on mitochondrial function in the HPA axis in mice.

ABSTRACT: Stress, whether real or perceived, activates physiological and behavioral responses via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system activation. Under chronic stress, however, these adaptive responses become dysfunctional leading to pathological changes in behavior and health. Mitochondria are dynamic organelles essential for cellular energy production and for initiating glucocorticoid synthesis and release from adrenal glands during stress. Thus, mitochondria may represent a first line of response to environmental challenges. However, the effects of chronic stress on mitochondrial function within the HPA axis, particularly regarding sex differences, are unexplored. We exposed adult male and female C57BL6/J mice to four weeks of chronic unpredictable stress

SUBMITTER: Crockett AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12324342 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature