Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is a neuropeptide that plays a key role in behavioral and physiological responses to stress. A large body of animal literature implicates CRF acting at type 1 CRF receptors (CRFR1) in consumption by alcohol-dependent subjects, stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking, and possibly binge alcohol consumption. These studies have encouraged recent pilot studies of CRFR1 antagonists in humans with alcohol use disorder (AUD). It was a great disappointment to many in the field that these studies failed to show an effect of these compounds on stress-induced alcohol craving. Here, we examine these studies to explore potential limitations and discuss preclinical and human literature to ask whether CRFR1 is still a valid drug target to pursue for the treatment of AUD.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5711524 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/acer.13507 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Oxytocin levels in response to CRH administration in hypopituitarism and hypothalamic damage: a randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled trial.
Sci Rep
January 2025
Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, IR-SANT PAU, CIBERER-U747 ISCIII, ENDO-ERN, Barcelona, Spain.
Increasing evidence supports the presence of oxytocin deficiency (OXT-D) in patients with hypopituitarism and hypothalamic damage (HHD), that might be associated with neuropsychological deficits and sexual dysfunction, leading to worse quality of life (QoL). Therefore, identifying a provocative test to diagnose an OXT-D will be important. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a candidate for such a test as it increases oxytocin secretion in animal models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeripubertal antagonism of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 results in sustained changes in behavioral plasticity and the transcriptomic profile of the amygdala.
Neuroscience
January 2025
School of Arts & Sciences, Health Psychology Program, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston Massachusetts, 02115, United States. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- Peripuberty is a crucial time for brain development, and blocking CRFR1 receptors in young rats helps minimize negative effects of early-life stress on neural function and behavior.
- In an experiment, male rats showed immediate behavioral changes like reduced prepulse inhibition (PPI) after receiving a CRFR1 antagonist, while females only exhibited differences in behavior after becoming adults.
- Long-term gene expression changes in the amygdala indicate that the effects of CRFR1 blockage during peripuberty impact different neural pathways in males and females, emphasizing the importance of understanding these effects for adolescent mental health.
The effects of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and urocortins on the serotonin (hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) released from the raphe nuclei (RN).
Neuropeptides
January 2025
Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Szeged, Hungary.
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and urocortins (UCN1, UCN2 and UCN3) belong to the same CRF family of neuropeptides. They regulate the neuroendocrine, autonomic and behavioral responses to stress via two CRF receptors (CRF1 and CRF2). Stress, anxiety and depression affects the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the serotoninergic neurotransmission, both being regulated by CRF and CRF-related peptides.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEvaluation of the Anxiolytic and Antidepressant Effects of Standardized Ashwagandha () Root Extract in Wistar Rats.
Prev Nutr Food Sci
December 2024
Food Science R&D Center, Kolmar BNH, Seoul 06800, Korea.
Ashwagandha () is a popular herb in Ayurveda, the traditional medicine system in India. It is known to exert stress-mitigating properties and has been extensively studied for its safety and efficacy in various disorders. This study assessed the effects of Ashwagandha root extract (ARE) on stress in rats.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTranslational Approach to Social Isolation During a Global Pandemic: Hippocampal Somatic Mutation and Stress.
Psychiatry Investig
December 2024
Mental Health Research Institute, National Center for Mental Health, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Objective: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic's social isolation has significantly impacted mental health, increasing depression and anxiety. This study explores the effects of social isolation on both humans and mice, focusing on behavioral changes and hippocampal protein expression. It also investigates genetic alterations through single-cell RNA and whole-genome sequencing (WGS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!