Critical features of acute stress-induced cross-sensitization identified through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis output.

ABSTRACT: Stress-induced sensitization represents a process whereby prior exposure to severe stressors leaves animals or humans in a hyper-responsive state to further stressors. Indeed, this phenomenon is assumed to be the basis of certain stress-associated pathologies, including post-traumatic stress disorder and psychosis. One biological system particularly prone to sensitization is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the prototypic stress system. It is well established that under certain conditions, prior exposure of animals to acute and chronic (triggering) stressors enhances HPA responses to novel (heterotypic) stressors on subsequent days (e.g. raised plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels). However, such changes remain somewhat controversial and thus, the present study aimed to iden

SUBMITTER: Belda X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4980629 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature