Epigenetics of stress-related learning and memory

The signalling, epigenetic and genomic mechanisms in the brain underlying stress-related learning and memory processes. The regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis under baseline and stress conditions. The physiological and neurobiological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of voluntary exercise on stress coping, HPA axis regulation, and anxiety-related and cognitive behaviour.

Mifsud, KR & Reul, JMHM, 2016, ‘Acute stress enhances heterodimerization and binding of corticosteroid receptors at glucocorticoid target genes in the hippocampus’. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Mifsud, KR, Saunderson, EA, Spiers, H, Carter, SD, Trollope, AF, Mill, J & Reul, JMHM, 2016, ‘Rapid down‐regulation of glucocorticoid receptor gene expression in the dentate gyrus after acute stress in vivo: Role of DNA Methylation and microRNA Activity’. Neuroendocrinology. Mifsud, KR, Carter, SD, Linthorst, AC & Reul, JM, 2016, ‘Epigenetics of Glucocorticoid Action’. in: Donald Pfaff, Marian Joëls (eds) Hormones, Brain, and Behavior, Third Edition. Elsevier Saunderson, EA, Spiers, H, Mifsud, KR, Gutierrez-Mecinas, M, Trollope, AF, Shaikh, A, Mill, J & Reul, JMHM, 2016, ‘Stress-induced gene expression and behavior are controlled by DNA methylation and methyl donor availability in the dentate gyrus’. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol 113., pp. 4830?4835 Carter, SD, Mifsud, KR & Reul, JMHM, 2015, ‘Distinct epigenetic and gene expression changes in rat hippocampal neurons after Morris water maze training’. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, vol 9. Carter, SD, Mifsud, KR, Witty, L, Lockstone, HE & Reul, JM, 2015, ‘Morris water maze training-induced epigenetic modifications and gene expression changes in rat dentate gyrus neurons’. in: British Neurosci. Assoc. Abstr.., pp. 414 Mifsud, KR & Reul, JM, 2015, ‘Mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptor-mediated control of rat hippocampal glucocorticoid-inducible gene transcription after acute stress’. in: British Neurosci. Assoc. Abstr.., pp. 714 Reul, JM, Collins, A, Saliba, R, Mifsud, KR, Carter, S, Mecinas, MG, Qian, X & Linthorst, AC, 2015, ‘Glucocorticoids, epigenetic control and stress resilience’. Neurobiology of Stress, vol 1., pp. 44-59 Reul, JMHM, 2014, ‘Making memories of stressful events: a journey along epigenetic, gene transcription, and signaling pathways’. Frontiers in psychiatry, vol 5., pp. 5 Kersanté, F, Rowley, SCS, Pavlov, I, Mecinas, MG, Semyanov, A, Reul, JMHM, Walker, MC & Linthorst, ACE, 2013, ‘A functional role for both GABA transporter-1 and GABA transporter-3 in the modulation of extracellular GABA and GABAergic tonic conductances in the rat hippocampus’. The Journal of Physiology, vol 591., pp. 2429-2441