Topic: HPA axis

Dual-specificity phosphatase (Dusp8) has previously been identified as type 2 diabetes risk gene in humans that is highly expressed in the brain. Dusp8 acts as physiological inhibitor for mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, which are involved in multiple CNS processes. Recently, we reported that hypothalamic Dusp8 acts as rheostat for Janus Kinase (Jnk) 1 in the arcuate nucleus and as critical gatekeeper for hypothalamus pituitary adrenals (HPA) axis functionality, hypothalamic insulin resistance and systemic glucose tolerance. In our follow-up studies, we aimed to dissect whether aberran

Maternal high-fat diet (mHFD) during pregnancy leads to increased inflammation and oxidative stress, representing an important risk factor for fetal neurodevelopment. We have previously shown, in a mouse model of mHFD, sex-dimorphic negative outcomes in the adolescent offspring, disrupting hippocampal Bdnf-Nrf-2 crosstalk specifically in females. In this study, we hypothesize that sex-differences are still present during adulthood, affecting cognition and neurotransmission. Furthermore, we tested a maternal dietary supplementation with the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) as a preventive st

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is caused by stressful social encounters. The Social Fear conditioning (SFC) paradigm is able to effectively simulate the symptoms of social phobia, such as a severe fear and avoidance of social situations. The extinction phase of the SFC paradigm mimics exposure therapy for SAD and facilitates the learning of the disassociation between the trauma and the social context. The lateral septum (LS), known to be involved in socio-emotional regulation, abundantly expresses corticotropin-releasing factor receptors (CRFR1/CRFR2) and several lines of evidence implicate the