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Cited by 744Stress Responses and CortisolAdrenal Hormones and DisordersHypothalamic control of reproductive hormones

Functional Cross‐Talk Between the Hypothalamic‐Pituitary‐Gonadal and ‐Adrenal Axes

Viau, V.·2002·Journal of Neuroendocrinology
DOI 10.1046/j.1365-2826.2002.00798.x
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Abstract

Under normal conditions, the adrenal glucocorticoids, the endproduct of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis, provide a frontline of defence against threats to homeostasis (i.e. stress). On the other hand, chronic HPA drive and glucocorticoid hypersecretion have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several forms of systemic, neurodegenerative and affective disorders. The HPA axis is subject to gonadal influence, indicated by sex differences in basal and stress HPA function and neuropathologies associated with HPA dysfunction. Functional cross‐talk between the gonadal and adrenal axes is due in large part to the interactive effects of sex steroids and glucocorticoids, explaining perhaps why several disease states linked to stress are sex‐dependent. Realizing the interactive nature by which the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐gonadal and HPA systems operate, however, has made it difficult to model how these hormones act in the brain. Manipulation of one endocrine system is not without effects on the other. Simultaneous manipulation and assessment of both endocrine systems can overcome this problem. This dual approach in the male rat reveals that testosterone can act and interact on different aspects of basal and stress HPA function. Basal adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release is regulated by testosterone‐dependent effects on arginine vasopressin synthesis, and corticosterone‐dependent effects on corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) synthesis in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus. In contrast, testosterone and corticosterone interact on stress‐induced ACTH release and drive to the PVN motor neurones. Candidate structures mediating this interaction include several testosterone‐sensitive afferents to the HPA axis, including the medial preoptic area, central and medial amygdala and bed nuclei of the stria terminalis. All of these relay homeostatic information and integrate reproductive and social behaviour. Because these modalities are affected by stress in humans, a dual systems approach holds great promise in establishing further links between the neuroendocrinology of stress and the central bases of sex‐dependent disorders, including psychiatric, cardiovascular and metabolic disease.

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  • The double-inhibitory loop operates physiological functions, but under peculiar circumstances could lead to functional disorders.

    “Such double-inhibitory loop operates physiological functions [72,131], but under peculiar circumstances could lead to functional disorders.”

    From Fibromyalgia pathogenesis explained by a neuroendocrine multistable model (2024) · cites this paper as [131]

  • Men with lower basal cortisol concentrations show larger increases in the testosterone response to social stress.

    “men with lower basal cortisol concentrations show larger increases in the testosterone response to social stress (tang, tang, Posner, & Gross, 2022;Viau, 2002).”

    From Salivary testosterone and cortisol response in acute stress modulated by seven sessions of mindfulness meditation in young males (2024) · cites this paper as Viau, 2002

  • Androgens and estrogen modulate cortisol synthesis in the adrenal cortex and CRH and AVP synthesis in the hypothalamus, with the latter effect mediated by sex hormone receptors in the amygdala.

    “Androgens and estrogen modulate cortisol synthesis in the adrenal cortex and CRH and AVP synthesis in the hypothalamus; the latter effect is mediated by sex hormone receptors in the amygdala (Viau, 2002; Viau et al., 2005)”

    From The Adaptive Calibration Model of stress responsivity (2011) · cites this paper as Viau, 2002

  • Androgen and glucocorticoid receptors can interact in regulating gene transcription, allowing cross-talk between endocrine systems at the genomic level.

    “Cross-talk between endocrine systems can even take place at the genomic level, since androgen and glucocorticoid receptors can interact in the regulation of gene transcription (Viau, 2002)”

    From The Adaptive Calibration Model of stress responsivity (2011) · cites this paper as Viau, 2002

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Authors
Viau, V.
Affiliations
University of British Columbia (CA)
Corresponding author
Viau, V.
ORCID
Viau, V.
Venue
Journal of Neuroendocrinology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2002-05-29
Volume
14
Issue
6
Pages
506-513
ISSN
  • 0953-8194 (ISSN-L)
  • 1365-2826
DOI
10.1046/j.1365-2826.2002.00798.x
OpenAlex
W2161277545
Cited by
744
References
69
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 43 · 2015: 48 · 2014: 35 · 2013: 44 · 2012: 46
FWCI
1.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adrenal Hormones and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
Keywords
hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, testosterone, corticosterone, sex steroids, glucocorticoids, stress, ACTH, vasopressin, corticotropin-releasing factor, paraventricular nucleus, medial preoptic area, central amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, sex differences
MeSH terms
Animals, Brain, Gonads, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Testosterone

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