TY - JOUR
T1 - Acquired deficit of forebrain glucocorticoid receptor produces depression-like changes in adrenal axis regulation and behavior
AU - Boyle, Maureen P.
AU - Brewer, Judson A.
AU - Funatsu, Michiyo
AU - Wozniak, David F.
AU - Tsien, Joe Z.
AU - Izumi, Yukitoshi
AU - Muglia, Louis J.
PY - 2005/1/11
Y1 - 2005/1/11
N2 - Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a hallmark of major depressive disorder. A number of studies have shown that this dysregulation is correlated with impaired forebrain glucocorticoid receptor (GR) function. To determine whether a primary, acquired deficit in forebrain GR signaling is an etiologic factor in the pathogenesis of depression, we generated a line of mice with time-dependent, forebrain-specific disruption of GR (FBGRKO). These mice develop a number of both physiological and behavioral abnormalities that mimic major depressive disorder in humans, including hyperactivity of the HPA axis, impaired negative feedback regulation of the HPA axis and, increased depression-like behavior. Importantly, a number of these abnormalities are normalized by chronic treatment with the tricyclic antidepressant, imipramine. Our findings suggest that imipramine's proposed activities on forebrain GR function are not essential for its antidepressant effects, and that alteration in GR expression may play a causative role in disease onset of major depressive disorder.
AB - Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a hallmark of major depressive disorder. A number of studies have shown that this dysregulation is correlated with impaired forebrain glucocorticoid receptor (GR) function. To determine whether a primary, acquired deficit in forebrain GR signaling is an etiologic factor in the pathogenesis of depression, we generated a line of mice with time-dependent, forebrain-specific disruption of GR (FBGRKO). These mice develop a number of both physiological and behavioral abnormalities that mimic major depressive disorder in humans, including hyperactivity of the HPA axis, impaired negative feedback regulation of the HPA axis and, increased depression-like behavior. Importantly, a number of these abnormalities are normalized by chronic treatment with the tricyclic antidepressant, imipramine. Our findings suggest that imipramine's proposed activities on forebrain GR function are not essential for its antidepressant effects, and that alteration in GR expression may play a causative role in disease onset of major depressive disorder.
KW - Knockout mice
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=12244264438&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.0406458102
DO - 10.1073/pnas.0406458102
M3 - Article
C2 - 15623560
AN - SCOPUS:12244264438
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 102
SP - 473
EP - 478
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 2
ER -