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Author (up) Sullivan, R.M.
Title Hemispheric Asymmetry in Stress Processing in Rat Prefrontal Cortex and the Role of Mesocortical Dopamine Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication Stress Abbreviated Journal Stress
Volume 7 Issue 2 Pages 131-143
Keywords
Abstract The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is known to play an important role not only in the regulation of emotion,

but in the integration of affective states with appropriate modulation of autonomic and neuroendocrine

stress regulatory systems. The present review highlights findings in the rat which helps to elucidate the

complex nature of prefrontal involvement in emotion and stress regulation. The medial PFC is

particularly important in this regard and while dorsomedial regions appear to play a suppressive role in

such regulation, the ventromedial (particularly infralimbic) region appears to activate behavioral,

neuroendocrine and sympathetic autonomic systems in response to stressful situations. This may be

especially true of spontaneous stress-related behavior or physiological responses to relatively acute

stressors. The role of the medial PFC is somewhat more complex in conditions involving learned

adjustments to stressful situations, such as the extinction of conditioned fear responses, but it is clear

that the medial PFC is important in incorporating stressful experience for future adaptive behavior. It is

also suggested that mesocortical dopamine plays an important adaptive role in this region by preventing

excessive behavioral and physiological stress reactivity. The rat brain shows substantial hemispheric

specialization in many respects, and while the right PFC is normally dominant in the activation of

stress-related systems, the left may play a role in countering this activation through processes of

interhemispheric inhibition. This proposed basic template for the lateralization of stress regulatory

systems is suggested to be associated with efficient stress and emotional self-regulation, and also to be

shaped by both early postnatal experience and gender differences.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Informa Clin Med Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1025-3890 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5356
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