ArticlePloS one2014
Chronic stress suppresses the expression of cutaneous hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis elements and melanogenesis.
Article in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 43 citations in OpenAlex.
- Salidroside Selectively Binds to SEC23A and Ameliorates Psychological Stress-Induced Hyperpigmentation.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Hyperprolactinemia and Brain Health: Exploring the Gut-Brain Axis and Therapeutic Strategies.Molecular neurobiology · 2025Review
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- Unraveling the Complex Interplay Between Neuroinflammation and Depression: A Comprehensive Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- The brain-skin axis in vitiligo.Archives of dermatological research · 2024Review
- Carotenoids in red fruit (Biomedical reports · 2024Review
- Anxiety-depression: a pivotal mental factor for accelerating disease progression and reducing curative effect in vitiligo patients.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
- Fish Scales Produce Cortisol upon Stimulation with ACTH.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2022Article
- Hypopigmentation in mantled howler monkeysEcology and evolution · 2022Article
- Effect of Acute Cold Stress on Neuroethology in Mice and Establishment of Its Model.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2022Article
- Serotonin (5-HT) 2A Receptor Involvement in Melanin Synthesis and Transfer via Activating the PKA/CREB Signaling Pathway.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- Recent Progress in the Understanding of the Effect of Sympathetic Nerves on Hair Follicle Growth.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2021Review
- Endocrine systems of the skin.Postepy dermatologii i alergologii · 2019Review
- Involvement of the central hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in hair growth and melanogenesis among different mouse strains.PloS one · 2018Article
- Hair cortisol in the evaluation of Cushing syndrome.Endocrine · 2017Article
- Stress-related skin disorders.Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders · 2016Review
- Effects of voluntary exercise on apoptosis and cortisol after chronic restraint stress in mice.Journal of exercise nutrition & biochemistry · 2016Article
- Effects of Active Mastication on Chronic Stress-Induced Bone Loss in Mice.International journal of medical sciences · 2015Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Chronic stress can affect skin function, and some skin diseases might be triggered or aggravated by stress. Stress can activate the central hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, which causes glucocorticoid levels to increase. The skin has HPA axis elements that react to environmental stressors to regulate skin functions, such as melanogenesis. This study explores the mechanism whereby chronic stress affects skin pigmentation, focusing on the HPA axis, and investigates the role of glucocorticoids in this pathway. We exposed C57BL/6 male mice to two types of chronic stress, chronic restraint stress (CRS) and chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Mice subjected to either stress condition showed reduced melanogenesis. Interestingly, CRS and CUMS triggered reductions in the mRNA expression levels of key factors involved in the HPA axis in the skin. In mice administered corticosterone, decreased melanin synthesis and reduced expression of HPA axis elements were observed. The reduced expression of HPA axis elements and melanogenesis in the skin of stressed mice were reversed by RU486 (a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist) treatment. Glucocorticoids had no significant inhibitory effect on melanogenesis in vitro. These results suggest that, high levels of serum corticosterone induced by chronic stress can reduce the expression of elements of the skin HPA axis by glucocorticoid-dependent negative feedback. These activities can eventually result in decreased skin pigmentation. Our findings raise the possibility that chronic stress could be a risk factor for depigmentation by disrupting the cutaneous HPA axis and should prompt dermatologists to exercise more caution when using glucocorticoids for treatment.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.