These are characteristic symptoms of stress-related psychiatric disorders such as PTSD and major depression, both of which also show evidence of LC-NE hyperactivity (Southwick et al., 1999 and Wong et al., 2000). Substantial evidence now implicates the stress-related neuropeptide, CRF as a primary mediator of stress-induced LC activation. CRF was initially characterized as the paraventricular hypothalamic neurohormone that initiates anterior pituitary adrenocorticotropin

secretion in response to stressors (Vale et al., 1981). This discovery inspired a body of research from diverse laboratories that ultimately provided convergent evidence for a parallel function of CRF as a brain neuromodulator that coordinates autonomic, behavioral and cognitive responses to stress with the endocrine buy OSI-906 limb (See for Review (Bale and Vale, 2004 and Owens and Nemeroff, 1991)). CRF-containing

axon terminals and CRF receptors ALK inhibitor cancer were regionally localized in brain areas that regulate autonomic functions, emotional expression and cognition (Sakanaka et al., 1987 and Swanson et al., 1983). Central CRF administration was demonstrated to mimic many of the autonomic and behavioral aspects of the stress response even in hypophysectomized rats (Britton et al., 1982, Brown and Fisher, 1985, Brown et al., 1982, Tache et al., 1983, Tache and Gunion, 1985, Cole and Koob, 1988, Snyder et al., 2012, Heinrichs et al., 1995, Koob

and Heinrichs, 1999, Sutton et al., 1982 and Swerdlow et al., 1986). The most convincing evidence that CRF serves as the major molecule that organizes the different components of the stress response came from the numerous studies demonstrating that stress-elicited effects are prevented or reversed by central administration of CRF antagonists or are absent in animals with genetic deletions of CRF receptors to (Reul and Holsboer, 2002, Contarino et al., 1999, Lenz et al., 1988, Kawahara et al., 2000, Heinrichs et al., 1992, Korte et al., 1994, Smagin et al., 1996, Tazi et al., 1987, Martinez et al., 1997, Bueno and Gue, 1988, Gutman et al., 2003, Keck et al., 2004 and Muller et al., 2004). Together, the findings led to the compelling notion that coordinated CRF release in specific neural circuits integrates the different limbs of the stress response. Although the autonomic and behavioral processes initiated by CRF are adaptive in responding to life-threatening challenges, if they were engaged in the absence of such a challenge or if they persisted long after the challenge was terminated this would be considered pathological. Consistent with this, many stress-related disorders including depression, PTSD and irritable bowel syndrome have been attributed to excessive CRF that is not counterregulated (Larauche et al., 2012, Bremner et al., 1997, Gold and Chrousos, 2002 and Tache et al., 1993).