Smagin G N, Heinrichs S C, Dunn A J
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130-3932, USA.
Peptides. 2001 May;22(5):713-24. doi: 10.1016/s0196-9781(01)00384-9.
Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and urocortin in the central nervous system affect behavior and can enhance behavioral responses to stressors. The action of CRH-related peptides is mediated through multiple receptors that differ markedly in their pharmacological profiles and anatomical distribution. Comparative pharmacology of CRH receptor agonists suggests that CRH, urocortin, sauvagine and urotensin consistently mimic, and CRH receptor antagonists consistently lessen, functional consequences of stressor exposure. Recently, important advances have been made in understanding the CRH system and its role in behavioral responses to stress by the development of specific CRH receptor antagonists, application of antisense oligonucleotides and development of transgenic mice lacking peptides and functional receptors. This review summarizes recent findings with respect to components of the CRH system and their role in stress-induced behavioral responses.
促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素（CRH）和尿皮质素在中枢神经系统中影响行为，并能增强对应激源的行为反应。CRH相关肽的作用是通过多种受体介导的，这些受体在药理学特性和解剖分布上有显著差异。CRH受体激动剂的比较药理学表明，CRH、尿皮质素、蛙皮素和尾加压素始终能模拟应激源暴露的功能后果，而CRH受体拮抗剂则始终能减轻这些后果。最近，通过开发特异性CRH受体拮抗剂、应用反义寡核苷酸以及培育缺乏肽和功能性受体的转基因小鼠，在理解CRH系统及其在对应激行为反应中的作用方面取得了重要进展。本综述总结了关于CRH系统组成部分及其在应激诱导的行为反应中的作用的最新发现。
