PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY

The goal of this article is to describe some of the central nervous sy stem circuits involved in the regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary- adrenocortical (HPA) axis, with an emphasis on animal models believed to mimic the human experience of emotional stress. First, the basic co nstitutive elements of the HPA axis that control glucocorticoid secret ion are reviewed. A description of the neural systems assumed to regul ate the activity of the HPA axis, both anatomically and functionally, follows. It is argued that hypothalamic, septal and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis neurons are involved in the regulation of the HPA ax is by situations eliciting emotional responses.