Stress ulcer modulation by limbic system structures.

Abstract

A number of studies suggest that the telencephalic limbic system modulates stress ulcer development. The amygdala is assumed to connect sensory experiences, including stressful stimuli, with the emotional reactions and gastrointestinal effects normally produce. The hippocampal formation (entorhinal cortex, dentate gyrus, hippocampus) is part of a gating system, modulating the organism's coping ability. Changes in transmission in this temporal brain region are linked to individual differences in stress ulcer severity. Interactions among "classical" transmitters and several neuropeptides mediate these differences.