Lateral Hypothalamus Corticotropin-releasing Hormone Receptor-1 Inhibition and Modulating Stress-induced Anxiety Behavior.

Lateral Hypothalamus (LH) is a region involved in sleep and appetite regulation and recently known to play role in stress pathophysiology. The stress mediating function of the LH is performed through Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Receptor type-1 (CRHr1). This study explored the role of LH- CRHr1 in anxiety development and orexin production. Acute and chronic stress affected the behavior and molecular changes, differently. The acute stress increased the anxiety condition, while the chronic stress could only change the molecular criteria. Although we assumed that the inability of the chronic stress to develop anxiety may be attributable to habituation, the chronic stress could increase the plasma corticosterone and orexin level. All of the stress mal-changes in behavior and molecular level prevented by antagonising CRHr1 in the LH, indicating a gating function of LH-CRHr1 for stress development.