Tafet G E, Toister-Achituv M, Shinitzky M
Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2001 Mar;1(1):96-104. doi: 10.3758/cabn.1.1.96.
Stress and depression are characterized by elevation of circulating cortisol, as well as by changes in physiological functions. In this study, we addressed the possibility that elevated cortisol is also associated with the origin and development of depression. We report here that cortisol at the nM-microM concentration range induces a substantial increase in serotonin uptake both in vitro, by human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and cortical neuronal cells, and in vivo, by rabbit PBLs, owing to promotion of synthesis of the serotonin transporter. These findings offer a novel molecular mechanism for depression associated with stress. Accordingly, the elevated cortisol induced by stress increases serotonin uptake, under both rest and nerve stimulation, which is overtly expressed in symptoms of depression.
压力和抑郁的特征是循环皮质醇升高以及生理功能的变化。在本研究中，我们探讨了皮质醇升高也与抑郁症的起源和发展相关的可能性。我们在此报告，在纳摩尔至微摩尔浓度范围内的皮质醇，在体外可诱导人外周血淋巴细胞（PBLs）和皮质神经元细胞摄取5-羟色胺显著增加，在体内可诱导兔PBLs摄取5-羟色胺显著增加，这是由于5-羟色胺转运体的合成促进所致。这些发现为与压力相关的抑郁症提供了一种新的分子机制。因此，压力诱导的皮质醇升高会在静息和神经刺激状态下均增加5-羟色胺摄取，这在抑郁症症状中明显表现出来。
