Endocrine Abstracts

Corticosteroid hormones are synthetized in the adrenal glands and reach many organs including the brain. Within the brain they exert their actions through mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR). These receptors generally act as transcriptional regulators and change the function of brain cells in a slow manner, with effects appearing after approximately one hour. However, in the past decade it has become evident that corticosteroid receptors also change brain ...

Corticosteroid hormones are synthetized in the adrenal glands and reach many organs including the brain. Within the brain they exert their actions through mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR). These receptors generally act as transcriptional regulators and change the function of brain cells in a slow manner, with effects appearing after approximately one hour. However, in the past decade it has become evident that corticosteroid receptors also change brain ...

Neurons in the CA1 region of the rodent hippocampus express high levels of the nuclear mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR). The MR affinity is such that low levels of corticosterone -as seen under rest- already substantially activate this receptor. Hence, for many years the GR was considered to be the main mediator of the stress response. This receptor causes (among other things) a delayed enhanced influx of calcium into CA1 neurons, an enhancement of sero...