Neuropeptide regulation of stress-induced behavior: Insights from the CRF/urocortin family

Perception of physical or psychological stress by an organism is followed by a series of events that result in changes in emotional and cognitive functions, modulation of autonomic activities and the secretion of glucocorticoids from the adrenal cortex. The amygdala is an important mediator of fear and anxiety. The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) contains a large number of CRF-immunopositive cell bodies and fibers, as well as moderate concentrations of CRF receptors. The hippocampus contains scattered CRF-stained interneurons, and moderate concentrations of CRF receptors. The dorsal hippocampus has been suggested to be involved in context-dependent and tone-dependent fear conditioning. A growing body of evidence suggests that Ucn1 and Ucn2 may influence stress-related physiology and behavior by modulating the DRN serotonergic system. An additional CRF-OE transgenic mouse was generated using the murine Thy-1.2 promoter.