Stress Neuroendocrinology: Highlights and Controversies

Abstract

Stress in mammals triggers a neuroendocrine response mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Increased activity of these two systems induces behavioral, cardiovascular, endocrine, and metabolic cascades that enable the individual to fight or flee and cope with stress. Our understanding of stress and stress response mechanisms is generally robust. However, several themes remain uncertain/controversial and perhaps deserve further scrutiny before they achieve canonical status. These themes include perinatal exposure effects on the health of the adult, genetic susceptibility to stress, the neurochemistry of posttraumatic stress disorder (..