Multiple signalling pathways exist in the stress-triggered regulation of gene expression for catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes and several neuropeptides in the rat adrenal medulla.

A critical component of the response to stress is the coincident activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathoadrenal system - comprised of sympathetic ganglia and the adrenal medullae. The sympathoadrenal system produces the catecholamines - noradrenaline and adrenaline, and several neuropeptides, involved in the homeostatic mechanisms that govern the adaptation to stress. This brief survey aims to provide a general overview of the present knowledge about the impact of stress on neurotransmitter gene expression in the adrenal medulla, with particular attention paid to the apparent heterogeneity in stress-evoked signals and regulatory pathways.

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