Hypothalamic glucocorticoid receptor in CRF neurons is essential for HPA axis habituation to repeated stressor

Habituation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to repeated homotypic stressors is crucial for organism well-being. Many physiological and psychiatric disorders are associated with HPA axis dysfunction. Here, we show that glucocorticoid receptors in CRF neurons of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus are essential for HPA axis habituation. When re-exposed to the same stressor, glucocorticoid receptors led to essential cellular modulation and dampened HPA axis activation by increasing inhibitory tone onto CRF neurons.