Neuroscience
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A myriad of chemical modifications of DNA and histones involved in the epigenetic regulation of neural gene expression have been documented and studied in detail since many years. However, more recently, modifications in RNA and their implications for neural gene functions have been progressively investigated. ⋯ Concomitantly, multiple lines of evidence have associated FTO with neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we discuss how FTO can exert its effect by acting not only on m6A but also on O, N6-dimethyladenosine (m6Am) in different types of RNA and potentially influence the development of some major neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Review
Oxytocin and Stress: Neural Mechanisms, Stress-Related Disorders, and Therapeutic Approaches.
Clinical reports show that oxytocin (OT) is related to stress-related disorders such as depression, anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Two key structures in the brain should be paid special attention with regard to stress regulation, namely, the hypothalamus and the hippocampus. The former is the region for central command for most, if not all, of the major endocrine systems, and the latter takes a key position in the regulation of mood and anxiety. ⋯ The hippocampus also regulates the secretion of glucocorticoids, a major group of stress hormones. Excessive levels of glucocorticoids in chronic stress cause atrophy of the hippocampus, whereas OT has been shown to protect hippocampal neurons from the toxic effects of glucocorticoids. In this article, we discuss how neural and endocrine mechanisms interplay in stress regulation, with an emphasis on the role of OT, as well as its therapeutic potential in the treatment of stress-related disorders.