Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) in the central nucleus of the amygdala induces anxiety via melanocortin receptors

摘要

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in the USA. Characterized by feelings of uncontrollable apprehension, they are accompanied by physical, affective, and behavioral symptoms. The neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and its receptor PAC1 (PAC(1)R) are highly expressed in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), and they have gained growing attention for their proposed role in mediating the body's response to stress.