Effects of stress on the structure and function of the medial prefrontal cortex: Insights from animal models

Stress alters both cognitive and emotional function, and increases risk for a variety of psychological disorders, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. The prefrontal cortex is critical for executive function and emotion regulation, is a target for stress hormones, and is implicated in many stress-influenced psychological disorders. Therefore, understanding how stress-induced changes in the structure and function of the prefrontal cortex are related to stress-induced changes in behavior may elucidate some of the mechanisms contributing to stress-sensitive disorders. This review focuses on data from rodent models to describe the effects of chronic stress on behaviors mediated by the medial prefrontal cortex, the effects of chronic stress on the morphology and physiology of the medial prefrontal cortex, mechanisms that may mediate these effects, and evidence for sex differences in the effects of stress on the prefrontal cortex. Understanding how stress influences prefrontal cortex and behaviors mediated by it, as well as sex differences in this effect, will elucidate potential avenues for novel interventions for stress-sensitive disorders characterized by deficits in executive function and emotion regulation.