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Updated: Jul 7, 2026
04:33
Primary Culture of Rat Adrenocortical Cells and Assays of Steroidogenic Functions
Published on: March 12, 2019
Central corticosteroid actions: Search for gene targets.
Nicole A Datson1, Maarten C Morsink, Onno C Meijer
1Division of Medical Pharmacology, Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research & Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands. datson_n@lacdr.leidenuniv.nl
European Journal of Pharmacology
|February 26, 2008
Summary
Understanding how corticosteroid stress hormones affect brain function requires linking physiology and genomics. This review explores central corticosteroid targets and their complex genomic mechanisms in the brain.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genomics
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Corticosteroid stress hormones significantly impact neuronal function, but their genomic mechanisms are not fully understood.
- Linking physiological effects to genomic regulation is challenging due to the complexity of glucocorticoid signaling and brain structure.
- Existing technologies like gene expression profiling face limitations in detecting subtle gene expression changes in the heterogeneous brain environment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of central corticosteroid targets.
- To discuss the challenges and opportunities in identifying these targets.
- To highlight recent advancements in comprehending central corticosteroid action.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating glucocorticoid targets in the brain.
- Analysis of gene expression profiling data and its limitations.
- Examination of the complexities of glucocorticoid receptor systems and brain anatomy.
Main Results:
- Glucocorticoids act through complex signaling pathways involving both membrane and intracellular receptors.
- Brain's anatomical and cellular heterogeneity, along with modest gene expression changes, complicates the identification of responsive genes.
- Identified functional gene classes affected by glucocorticoids include those in energy metabolism, signal transduction, neuronal structure, and neurotrophic factor regulation.
Conclusions:
- Despite challenges, research has identified diverse functional gene classes regulated by central corticosteroids.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the genomic mechanisms underlying corticosteroid's effects on brain function.
- Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for addressing stress-related neurological conditions.
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