Open AccessDysregulation of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis in Alzheimer’s Disease and use of Non Selective and Selective Glucocorticoid Receptor Modulators to Improve Cognitive function – Review of Literature
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2475-5451
DOI - 10.33140/ijdmd/02/01/00006
Subject(s) - glucocorticoid , glucocorticoid receptor , mifepristone , neuroscience , hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis , psychology , hippocampal formation , episodic memory , antiglucocorticoid , hippocampus , cognitive decline , antagonist , medicine , disease , endocrinology , receptor , cognition , biology , dementia , hormone , pregnancy , genetics
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a relentless neurodegenerative diseaseaffecting more than 36 million people worldwide. Increased evidencesuggests stress and its synonymous elevated circulating glucocorticoidlevels, due to dysregulation of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA)axis, is an important environmental risk factor for the onset andprogression of AD [1]. Here we review recent data on the effect ofglucocorticoids on spontaneous activity of HPA axis with particularemphasis on AD, and how modulation of glucocorticoid (GC) levelsor GC receptors (GCRs) could potentially mediate disease processes.Early phase of AD is characterized by hippocampal memory(episodic memory) loss and impaired synaptic plasticity [2]. In astudy at IPMC in France on mouse model AD, treatment with GCRantagonist, mifepristone (RU486) reduced cerebral B Amyloid (AB),Tau pathologies and cognitive impairment [3]. Pointing to a potentialtherapeutic role for interventions to underlying HPA axis and GCRsactivity.