Interactions between the body’s internal clock and stress hormone system

Dysregulation of the circadian CLOCK and stress systems may lead to pathologic conditions.

• Organisms adapt behaviorally and physiologically to day/night cycles and random stress stimuli.
• The circadian CLOCK system and stress systems consist of interconnected regulatory networks.
• Clock/Bmal1 transcription factors act as molecular pacemakers in the circadian system.
• The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and glucocorticoid receptor are key components of the stress response.
• Interactions between the circadian CLOCK system and the HPA axis have significant clinical implications.

Simplified