Sarah E Westrick

3 weeks ago | biorxiv.org | Sarah E Westrick |Ryan T Paitz |Eva Fischer

AbstractA general tenet in stress physiology is that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis predominantly produces one glucocorticoid (GC) in response to stressors. However, most vertebrates produce both cortisol and corticosterone, and these steroids show variation across species in absolute levels, relative proportions, and stress responsivity and regulate much more than just stress physiology. Therefore, focusing on a single GC within a species may not capture the whole story.

Apr 19, 2024 | biorxiv.org | Sarah E Westrick |Eva Fischer |Freya van Kesteren |Stan Boutin

AbstractAn increase in maternal stress during offspring development can have cascading, life-long impacts on offspring behavior and physiology, which can vary depending on the timing of exposure to the stressor. By responding to stressors through increasing production of glucocorticoids (GCs), the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a key mediator of maternal effects -- both on the side of the mother and the offspring.