Alan F. Schatzberg
Publication Details
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The acute effects of a mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) agonist on nocturnal hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary (HPA) axis activity in healthy controls.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2007 Sep-Nov; (8-10): 859-64
Both glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors (GRs and MRs) help modulate cortisol feedback on the hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary (HPA) axis. In brain, MRs inhibit the HPA axis and are thought to be fully occupied. Thus, prior studies of the effects of an MR agonist on HPA axis activity have first used metyrapone to inhibit cortisol production and to consequently deplete the receptors. Herein, we propose that an MR agonist may inhibit the HPA axis without first "unloading" receptors of endogenous cortisol.
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