Responding to Stress: Genomic and Nongenomic Actions of Corticosteroid Receptors in the Brain

Glucocorticoid hormone-binding receptors are vital to many biological processes. The effects of receptor activation after stress or during the circadian peak can be observed organism wide in altered physiology and behavior, as well as changes in cellular processes such as adult neurogenesis. The two corticosteroid receptor types, the glucocorticoid receptor and the mineralocorticoid receptor, are thought to act on these processes and systems through genomic and nongenomic mechanisms. At present, however, the molecular mechanisms underpinning these glucocorticoid actions and the identity of their ultimate genomic targets are still largely unknown. This chapter explores the current state of knowledge and highlights novel and upcoming exciting developments in this field.