The DOI matches its Crossref record; 220 of the 220 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
HPA Axis‐Rhythms
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulates circulating levels of glucocorticoid hormones, and is the major neuroendocrine system in mammals that provides a rapid response and defense against stress. Under basal (i.e., unstressed) conditions, glucocorticoids are released with a pronounced circadian rhythm, characterized by peak levels of glucocorticoids during the active phase, that is daytime in humans and nighttime in nocturnal animals such as mice and rats. When studied in more detail, it becomes clear that the circadian rhythm of the HPA axis is characterized by a pulsatile release of glucocorticoids from the adrenal gland that results in rapid ultradian oscillations of hormone levels both in the blood and within target tissues, including the brain. In this review, we discuss the regulation of these circadian and ultradian HPA rhythms, how these rhythms change in health and disease, and how they affect the physiology and behavior of the organism.
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“Under normal conditions, cortisol is released with a distinct diurnal rhythm, characterized by levels increasing during the night just prior to waking, a transient acute spike in release following awakening (the cortisol awakening response), followed by a steady decline throughout the day until sleep.”
From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [39]
In the citing paper
“Physical or psychological stressor also induces a temporary spike of cortisol (39).”
From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [39]
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Research works printed but not linked: 6
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- 10.1210/en.130.3.1394 · DOI
- 10.1210/en.130.5.2991 · DOI · Paper page
- 10.1210/me.8.10.1298 · DOI
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Immune regulation by glucocorticoids
Cain, D. W., & Cidlowski, J. A. (2017) · Nature Reviews Immunology · doi:10.1038/nri.2017.1 · Cited by 1,846
Stress-related and basic determinants of hair cortisol in humans: a meta-analysis
Stalder, T., Steudte-Schmiedgen, S., Alexander, N., Klucken, T., Vater, A., Wichmann, S., Kirschbaum, C., & Miller, R. (2017) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.12.017 · Cited by 855
A General Introduction to Glucocorticoid Biology
Timmermans, S., Souffriau, J., & Libert, C. (2019) · Frontiers in Immunology · doi:10.3389/fimmu.2019.01545 · Cited by 619
Role of glucocorticoid negative feedback in the regulation of HPA axis pulsatility
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Self-citationA users guide to HPA axis research
Spencer, R. L., & Deak, T. (2016) · Physiology & Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.11.014 · Cited by 454
Metadata
- Authors
- Spiga, F., Walker, J. J., Terry, J. R., & Lightman, S. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Bristol (GB)
- University of Exeter (GB)
- Venue
- Comprehensive Physiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2014-08-07
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 1273-1298
- ISSN
- 2040-4603 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2110243057
- Cited by
- 267
- References
- 219
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 3
- Type
- other
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Comprehensive physiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion)
- Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust
- Medical Research Council (MR/J008893/1, MR/J013811/1)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adrenal Hormones and Disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Keywords
- hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, circadian rhythm, ultradian oscillations, glucocorticoids, stress response, neuroendocrine regulation, circadian phase shift
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Circadian Rhythm, Glucocorticoids, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Stress, Physiological
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- Spiga, F., Walker, J. J., Terry, J. R., & Lightman, S. L. (2014). HPA Axis‐Rhythms. Comprehensive Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c140003
