Stress and Neuroimmunology

Stress is experienced when stimuli pose a perceived or actual threat to an organism. Exposure to a stressor initiates physiological and behavioral responses that are aimed at restoring homeostasis. In particular, stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to release of glucocorticoids, and engages the autonomic nervous system, causing release of norepinephrine. These “stress hormones” have widespread effects, because most cells express respective receptors that initiate cell-type-specific molecular signaling pathways. In the brain, acute stress promotes neuronal activation, resulting in alertness and adaptive behavioral responses. However, chronic or uncontrolled stress exposure can have deleterious effects on neuronal function, including loss of synaptic connections, which leads to behavioral and cognitive impairments. Stress responses also influence the function of brain-resident microglia and peripheral immune cells that interact with the brain, and alterations in these neuroimmune systems can contribute to the neurobiological and behavioral effects of chronic stress. Ongoing research is aimed at uncovering the molecular and cellular mechanisms that mediate stress effects on neuroimmune systems, and vice versa.