Responses to chronic corticosterone on brain glucocorticoid receptors, adrenal gland, and gut microbiota in mice lacking neuronal serotonin.

Responses to chronic corticosterone on brain glucocorticoid receptors, adrenal gland, and gut microbiota in mice lacking neuronal serotonin. Brain Res. 2020 Nov 02;:147190 Authors: Angoa-Pérez M, Zagorac B, Francescutti DM, Theis KR, Kuhn DM Abstract Dysregulation of the stress-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis can result in disease. Bidirectional communication exists between the brain and the gut, and alterations in these interactions appear to be involved in stress regulation and in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric diseases, such as depression. Serotonin (5HT) plays a crucial role in the functions of these two major organs but its direct influence under stress conditions remains unclear. To investigate the role of neuronal 5HT on chronic stress responses and its influence on the gut microbiome, mice lacking the gene for tryptophan hydroxylase-2 were treated with the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) for 21 days. The intake of fluid and food, as well as body weights were recorded daily. CORT levels, expression of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in the brain and the size of the adrenal gland were evaluated. Caecum was used for 16S rRNA gene characterization of the gut microbiota. Results show that 5HT depletion produced an increase in food intake and a paradoxical reduction in body weight that were enhanced by CORT. Neuronal 5HT depletion impaired the feedback regulation of CORT levels but had...
Source: Brain Research - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Brain Res Source Type: research