Oxytocin and hypothalamo-pituitaryadrenal axis

Year 2010, Volume: 14 Issue: 2, 61 - 66, 03.03.2014

Berrak Yeğen

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Upon exposure to different types of stressors, neuroendocrine and behavioral
responses that include the activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are
given to allow the individuals to cope with stress conditions. It was proven that oxytocin, a
nonapeptide released from the posterior pituitary, has behavioral and stress-attenuating effects
by dampening HPA activity. On the other hand, the neuropeptide was also shown to
exert anti-inflammatory effects through the modulation of immune and inflammatory processes
in several experimental models of tissue injury. The findings of recent studies suggest
that the anti-inflammatory effect of oxytocin depends on its role on HPA axis activity and
subsequent release of cortisol. Thus, oxytocin seems to restrain the activity within the HPAaxis,
which becomes overactive during many inflammatory processes.
KEY WORDS: stress, oxidative stress, HPA axis, oxytocin

Keywords

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Oxytocin and hypothalamo-pituitary- adrenal axis

Abstract

Strese yol açan farklı uyaranlarla karşılaşıldığında, bireylerin bu stres koşulları ile baş edebilmelerini sağlamak üzere birçok mekanizma ile birlikte, hipotalamus-hipofiz-adrenal bez ekseni (HPA)’nin uyarılmasını da içeren nöroendokrin ve davranış yanıtları ortaya çıkar. Yapılan çalışmalar, arka hipofizden serbestlenen dokuz amino asitli oksitosinin, HPA aktivitesini baskılayarak davranışsal ve stres-azaltıcı etkileri olduğunu göstermiştir. Diğer taraftan, bu nöropeptidin çeşitli deneysel doku hasarı modellerinde immün ve inflamatuvar süreçleri düzenleyerek anti-inflamatuvar etki gösterdiği de ortaya konmuştur. Yeni yapılan çalışmaların sonuçları, oksitosinin HPA ekseni aktivasyonuna ve sonucunda kortizol serbestlenmesine olan etkileri ile anti-inflamatuvar etki gösterebileceğini düşündürmektedir. Sonuç olarak oksitosin, birçok inflamatuvar olayda aşırı uyarılmış olan HPA ekseninin etkinliğini sınırlandırmak yoluyla etki göstermektedir

Keywords

ANAHTAR KELİMELER: stres, oksidan stres, HPA ekseni, oksitosin

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