Chronic distress and the vulnerable host: a new target for HIV treatment and prevention?

Pathologic stress (distress) disturbs immune, cardiovascular, metabolic, and behavioral homeostasis. Individuals living with HIV and those at risk are vulnerable to stress disorders. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is critical in neuroendocrine immune regulation.

Corticotropin releasing hormone and imaging, rethinking the stress axis.

The stress system provides integration of both neurochemical and somatic physiologic functions within organisms as an adaptive mechanism to changing environmental conditions throughout evolution. In mammals and primates the complexity and sophistication of these systems have surpassed other species in triaging neurochemical and physiologic signaling to maximize chances of survival. Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and its related peptides and receptors have been identified over the last three decades and are fundamental molecular initiators of the stress response.

Mu Opioid Receptor Binding Correlates with Nicotine Dependence and Reward in Smokers.

The rewarding effects of nicotine are associated with activation of nicotine receptors. However, there is increasing evidence that the endogenous opioid system is involved in nicotine's rewarding effects. We employed PET imaging with [11C]carfentanil to test the hypotheses that acute cigarette smoking increases release of endogenous opioids in the human brain and that smokers have an upregulation of mu opioid receptors (MORs) when compared to nonsmokers.

Effects of adjunctive intranasal oxytocin on olfactory identification and clinical symptoms in schizophrenia: results from a randomized double blind placebo controlled pilot study.

Background: Deficits in olfactory identification have been widely reported in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and are associated with negative symptomatology. Adjunctive oxytocin delivered intranasally has been shown to improve some aspects of social cognition as well as positive and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Given the intranasal delivery route of oxytocin to olfactory pathways and that olfactory abnormalities are a potential endophenotype in SZ, we investigated the effect of intranasal oxytocin on olfactory identification as well as positive and negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia.

Addiction and corticotropin-releasing hormone type 1 receptor antagonist medications.

Derangements in corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) through its type 1 receptor (CRHR1) have been identified in many pathologic conditions. Preclinical models of addiction find that small-molecule antagonists of CRHR1 can limit induction, maintenance, and relapse to drugs of abuse. Neuropsychiatric clinical trials of CRHR1 antagonists have shown mixed efficacy; treatment of addictive disorders has not been established, but finding effective treatments for addictive disorders is critical.