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Bed Nucleus Of The Stria Terminalis Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Peptide Projections To The Central Nervous System Regions, Lauren Lepeak

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) is a pleiotropic neuropeptide that has vast functions, ranging from behavioral, to endocrine, cardiovascular, and cellular, in which often these effects are biphasic. This paper will focus on the effects of PACAP within the central nervous system (CNS), specifically in response to stress and anxiety. PACAP has been extensively researched in terms of its effect on the stress response and is well-known for its effects in inducing anxiety-like behaviors. PACAP induces such effects through working in regions of the CNS such as the amygdala, hypothalamus, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). Research …