Paralimbic and Medial Prefrontal Cortical Involvement in Neuroendocrine Responses to Traumatic Stimuli

The article on stress that I found was titled “Paralimbic and Medial Prefrontal Cortical Involvement in Neuroendocrine Responses to Traumatic Stimuli”. The articles studied hypothalamic-pituatary-adrenal and cortisol release. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and cortisol release happen as a reaction to the activation of central stress system activation, as well as influence cognitive and emotional processes in the brain. Although detailed research, not much is known about the specific circuits that pychosocial stimuli travels to activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and which pathways cortisol feedback travels to control central processing. The researcher used the positron emission tomography (PET) scan on participants already diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to study these circuits.

 The researchers conducted the study on combat-exposed healthy comparison subjects and noncombat-exposed healthy comparison subjects. Researchers scanned the participants while they experienced a series of emotional-inducted conditions, including aversive pictures and autobiographic narratives. Researchers took blood samples from the participants 2 minutes before and 5 minutes after each activation scan. This step was necessary to measure the participants' cortisol levels and plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone levels.

 Reserachers found that cerebral blood flow covaried with the adrenocorticotropic hormone responses in the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, rostral anterior cingulate cortex, and right insula. Some differences were found Post Traumatic Stress Disorder patients and their comparison subjects. Findings of the study show proof that there is cortical involvement in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal responses to psychological stimuli, specifically in the insula, rostral anterior and cingulate cortex, anddorsal medial prefrontal cortex. Researchers also found  that cortisol may regulate activity in specific brain areas such as the rostral and subgenual anterior cingulate cortices. Retrieved from Proquest Psychology Journals.

Israel Liberzon, Anthony P King, Jennifer C Britton, K Luan Phan, & et al. (2007). Paralimbic and Medial Prefrontal Cortical Involvement in Neuroendocrine Responses to Traumatic Stimuli. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(8), 1250-8.