Ghrelin's Role in the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Stress Response: Implications for Mood Disorders.

Biol Psychiatry

Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical and Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address:

Published: July 2015

AI Article Synopsis

  • Ghrelin is a stomach hormone that influences various brain functions, such as learning, memory, and emotion, alongside its well-known role in hunger and energy balance.
  • Recent studies indicate that ghrelin impacts the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which is crucial for regulating anxiety and mood disorders like depression.
  • The review suggests potential future research on ghrelin could lead to new treatments for managing stress-related conditions by targeting its effects on brain regions involved in stress and emotion regulation.

Article Abstract

Ghrelin is a stomach hormone normally associated with feeding behavior and energy homeostasis. Recent studies highlight that ghrelin targets the brain to regulate a diverse number of functions, including learning, memory, motivation, stress responses, anxiety, and mood. In this review, we discuss recent animal and human studies showing that ghrelin regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and affects anxiety and mood disorders, such as depression and fear. We address the neural sites of action through which ghrelin regulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and associated stress-induced behaviors, including the centrally projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus, the hippocampus, amygdala, locus coeruleus, and the ventral tegmental area. Stressors modulate many behaviors associated with motivation, fear, anxiety, depression, and appetite; therefore, we assess the potential role for ghrelin as a stress feedback signal that regulates these associated behaviors. Finally, we briefly discuss important areas for future research that will help us move closer to potential ghrelin-based therapies to treat stress responses and related disorders.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.10.021DOI Listing

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