Gucocorticoid receptor:a potential target for depression treatment / 军事医学

ABSTRACT

Depression is a serious mental disorder characterized by lasting anhedonia and anorexia .The pathophysiology of depression is complicated , which is related to many neuroendocrine disturbances .Increased levels of glucocorticoid hor-mones and hyperactivity of the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal ( HPA) axis are the most consistent and typical pathophysio-logical alternations in patients with major depression , which are possibly caused by altered functions of the receptor of glu-cocorticoid hormones , the glucocorticoid receptor ( GR) .Promoting the expression and function of GR and restoring the im-paired feedback inhibition of the HPA axis seem to be particularly important for the therapeutic efficacy of antidepressants . In this review, the role of GR in the development and resolution of depression is discussed .