Stress hormone regulation pathways

“Stress hormone regulation pathways” refers to the complex network of molecular and cellular processes that govern the body’s hormonal response to stress. The central component is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Key hormones involved include corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), arginine vasopressin (AVP), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and glucocorticoids such as cortisol. These hormones are secreted in tightly regulated pulsatile and circadian patterns to maintain homeostasis and adapt to environmental challenges. Glucocorticoids exert negative feedback on CRH and ACTH secretion at multiple levels—hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and extrahypothalamic centers—helping terminate their own effects after stress exposure. Their actions are mediated by intracellular receptors such as the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), which function as ligand-dependent transcription factors influencing gene expression through both genomic and nongenomic mechanisms[1]. The HPA axis interacts with other systems including monoaminergic neurotransmission; for example, monoamine oxidase A activity is regulated by several proteins under social stress conditions—a process relevant for depression therapeutics[2]. Dysregulation of these pathways has been implicated in various diseases including mood disorders, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, immune dysfunctions, among others. Because “stress hormone regulation pathways” describes an entire regulatory system rather than a discrete molecular entity or druggable target like a receptor or enzyme subunit,[1][3] it does not fit standard definitions for canonical therapeutic targets. **Note:** This entry is considered incorrect for structured target databases because it does not refer to an individual molecule/receptor/protein but instead encompasses multiple interacting components across several biological families.

Other names

Stress hormone regulation pathwaysHPA axis regulationStress response hormonal pathways

No unified mechanism; includes multiple mechanisms such as receptor activation, feedback inhibition, gene transcription modulation