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Stress-Related Disorders and Depression: From Molecular Basis to Therapy (2nd Edition)

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Neurobiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2024 | Viewed by 894

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Brain Biochemistry, Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
Interests: neuroscience; neuropharmacology; stress-related disorders; depression; psychotropic drugs; GPCR signaling; noradrenergic system; neuroplasticity, neuroimmune interaction
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Guest Editor
Department of Brain Biochemistry, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
Interests: neurobiology; pharmacology; stress; psychiatric disorders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Stress is defined as a challenge to the homeostasis of an organism by events coming from the environment. Two major systems are essential in the response to stressors: the sympathetic adrenomedullary system and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA). Elevated by stress, noradrenaline and HPA axis-related hormones (including CRH, vasopressin, ACTH, corticosteroids) influence the gene transcription processes and the functioning of neurotransmitter systems. The immune system’s responsiveness is also affected. Via alterations to brain structure, chemistry, and function, chronic stress contributes to depression and various anxiety disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There is evidence demonstrating that chronic stress may also contribute to addiction and obesity.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to collect original research articles and review papers that concern the study of how the brain transduces environmental stress exposure into depression and stress-related diseases. We aim to bring together the most recent studies and use different experimental approaches, in vivo or in vitro, for the purpose of addressing:

  1. molecular and cellular responses to stress;
  2. stress-induced changes in the neurochemical cross-talk between signaling systems in the brain;
  3. methods to study the effects of various stressors in psychiatric disease models;
  4. stress vulnerability and resilience;
  5. stress biomarkers;
  6. therapies for stress-related disorders.

Prof. Dr. Irena Nalepa
Dr. Agnieszka Zelek-Molik
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • psychobiology of stress
  • depression
  • posttraumatic stress disorder
  • anxiety disorders
  • animal models
  • biogenic monoamines
  • glucocorticoids
  • inflammation
  • antidepressant and anxiolytic drugs

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 2417 KiB  
Article
Postpartum Oxytocin Treatment via the Mother Reprograms Long-Term Behavioral Disorders Induced by Early Life Stress on the Plasma and Brain Metabolome in the Rat
by Sara Morley-Fletcher, Alessandra Gaetano, Vance Gao, Eleonora Gatta, Gilles Van Camp, Hammou Bouwalerh, Pierre Thomas, Ferdinando Nicoletti and Stefania Maccari
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(5), 3014; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25053014 - 05 Mar 2024
Viewed by 579
Abstract
The rat model of perinatal stress (PRS), in which exposure of pregnant dams to restraint stress reduces maternal behavior, is characterized by a metabolic profile that is reminiscent of the “metabolic syndrome”. We aimed to identify plasma metabolomic signatures linked to long-term programming [...] Read more.
The rat model of perinatal stress (PRS), in which exposure of pregnant dams to restraint stress reduces maternal behavior, is characterized by a metabolic profile that is reminiscent of the “metabolic syndrome”. We aimed to identify plasma metabolomic signatures linked to long-term programming induced by PRS in aged male rats. This study was conducted in the plasma and frontal cortex. We also investigated the reversal effect of postpartum carbetocin (Cbt) on these signatures, along with its impact on deficits in cognitive, social, and exploratory behavior. We found that PRS induced long-lasting changes in biomarkers of secondary bile acid metabolism in the plasma and glutathione metabolism in the frontal cortex. Cbt treatment demonstrated disease-dependent effects by reversing the metabolite alterations. The metabolomic signatures of PRS were associated with long-term cognitive and emotional alterations alongside endocrinological disturbances. Our findings represent the first evidence of how early life stress may alter the metabolomic profile in aged individuals, thereby increasing vulnerability to CNS disorders. This raises the intriguing prospect that the pharmacological activation of oxytocin receptors soon after delivery through the mother may rectify these alterations. Full article
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