Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 1 of 1
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
The Role Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Causing A Dysregulation Of The Hpa Axis On The Incidence Of Depression, Elsa Bechu, Brian Cohen
The Role Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Causing A Dysregulation Of The Hpa Axis On The Incidence Of Depression, Elsa Bechu, Brian Cohen
Honors Theses
Depression is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, afflicting approximately 17 million adults in the US in 2019. A prominent causal factor of depression is dysregulation of our body’s response to stress when exposed to continuous stressors over long periods of time. Stress is regulated by the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, with cortisol as its effector hormone. The effects of cortisol are exerted through the glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors (GR and MR, respectively) in the body and the brain, respectively. The HPA axis is regulated by a negative feedback loop where activation of the GR by circulating cortisol inhibits the …