Publications
Osterlund, CD, Jarvis, E, Chadayammuri, A, Unnithan, R, Weiser, MJ, and RL Spencer. Tonic, but not phasic corticosterone constrains stress activated extracellular-regulated-kinase 1/2 immunoreactivity within the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. J Neuroendo, 23: 1241-1251, 2011.PDF
Weiser, MJ, Osterlund, C, RL Spencer. Inhibitory effects of corticosterone in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) on stress-induced ACTH secretion and gene expression in the PVN and anterior pituitary. J Neuroendo, 23: 1231-1240, 2011.PDF
VanElzakker, MB, Zoladz, PR, Thompson, VM, Park, CR, Halonen, JD, Spencer, RL and DM Diamond. Influence of pre-training predator stress on the expression of c-fos mRNA in the hippocampus, amygdala, and striatum following long-term spatial memory retrieval. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 5:article 30, 1-13, 2011.PDF
Osterlund, C and RL Spencer. Corticosterone pretreatment suppresses stress-induced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity via multiple actions that vary with time, site of action and de novo protein synthesis. J Endocrinol 208:1-12, 2011.PDF
Weinberg, MS, Grissom, N., Paul E., Bhatnagar, S,
Maier, SF and RL Spencer. Inescapable but not escapable stress leads to
into creased struggling behavior and basolateral amygdala c-fos gene
expression in response subsequent novel stress challenge.
Neuroscience 170: 138-148, 2010. PDF
Spencer, R.L. and Weiser, M.J. TORC: A new twist on
corticotropin-releasing hormone gene expression. (News and Views
invited editorial) Endocrinology 151: 2010. PDF
Weinberg, MS, Johnson, DC, Bhatt, AP and RL Spencer. Medial prefrontal
cortex activity can disrupt the expression of stress response
habituation. Neuroscience 168:744-756, 2010. PDF
Girotti, M, Weinberg, MS and RL Spencer. Diurnal expression of
functional and clock-related genes in the rat
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. System-wide shifts in response to
a restricted feeding schedule. American Journal of Physiology:
Endocrinology and Metabolism, 296:888-897, 2009. PDF
Pace, TWW, Gaylord, RI, Jarvis, E, Girotti, M and RL Spencer.
Differential glucocorticoid effects on stress-induced gene expression
in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and ACTH secretion.
Stress, 12:400-411, 2009. PDF
Weinberg, MS, Bhatt, AP, Girotti, M, Masini, CV, Day, HEW, Campeau, S
and RL Spencer. Repeated ferret odor exposure induces different
temporal patterns of same-stressor habituation and novel-stressor
sensitization in both HPA-axis activity and forebrain c-fos expression
in the rat. Endocrinology, 150: 749-761, 2009. PDF
VanElzakker, M, Fevurly, RD, Breindel, T and RL Spencer. Environmental
novelty is associated with a selective increase in Fos expression in
the output elements of the hippocampal formation and the perirhinal
cortex. Learning and Memory, 15:899-908, 2008. PDF
Parker, CC, Ponicsan, H, Spencer, RL, Holmes A and TE Johnson.
Restraint stress and exogenous corticosterone differentially alter
sensitivity to the sedative-hypnotic effects of ethanol in ILS and ISS
mice. Alcohol, 42:477-485, 2008. PDF
Weinberg, MS, Girotti, M and RL Spencer.
Restraint-induced fra-2 and c-fos expression in the rat forebrain:
relationship to stress duration. Neuroscience, 150(2):478-86, 2007. PDF
Girotti, M, Weinberg, MS and RL Spencer.
Differential responses of HPA axis immediate early genes to
corticosterone and circadian drive. Endocrinology,148(5):2542-52, 2007.
PDF
Spencer,
R.L. and Bland, S. Hippocampal neurons. In Encyclopedia of Stress, 2nd
edition, ed. by Frink. Elsevier, London, 2007. PDF
Francis, AB, Pace, TWW, Ginsberg, AB, Rubin, BA
and RL Spencer. Limited brain diffusion of the glucocorticoid receptor
agonist RU28362 following i.c.v. administration: implications for
i.c.v. drug delivery and glucocorticoid negative feedback in the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Neuroscience, 141(3):1503-15,2006.
PDF
Girotti, M, Pace, TWW, Gaylord, RI, Rubin, BA,
Herman, JP and RL Spencer. Habituation to repeated restraint stress is
associated with lack of stress-induced c-fos expression in primary
sensory processing areas of the rat brain. Neuroscience, 138:
1067-1081, 2006. PDF
Ginsberg, AB, Frank, MG, Francis, AB, Rubin,
BA, O'Connor, KA and RL Spencer. Specific and time-dependent effects of
glucocorticoid receptor agonist RU28362 on stress-induced POMC hnRNA,
c-fos mRNA and zif268 mRNA in the pituitary. Journal of
Neuroendocrinology, 18(2):129-38, 2006. PDF
*Pace, TWW, *Gaylord, R, Topczewski, F,
Girotti, M, Rubin, B and RL Spencer. Immediate early gene induction in
hippocampus and cortex as a result of novel experience is not directly
related to the stressfulness of that experience. European Journal of
Neuroscience, 22:1679-1690, 2005. *T.W.W.P and R.G contributed equally
to this work. PDF
Bland ST, Schmid MJ, Der-Avakian A, Watkins LR,
Spencer RL, Maier SF.
Expression of c-fos and BDNF mRNA in subregions of the prefrontal
cortex of male and female rats after acute uncontrollable stress.
Brain Res. 1051(1-2):90-9, 2005. PDF
Der-Avakian A, Will MJ, Bland ST, Deak T,
Nguyen KT, Schmid MJ, Spencer RL, Watkins LR, Maier SF. Surgical and
pharmacological suppression of glucocorticoids prevents the enhancement
of morphine conditioned place preference by uncontrollable stress in
rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl), 179(2):409-17, 2005. PDF
Pace TW, Spencer RL. Disruption of
mineralocorticoid receptor function increases corticosterone responding
to a mild, but not moderate, psychological stressor. Am J Physiol
Endocrinol Metab. 288(6):E1082-8, 2005. PDF
Fevurly RD, Spencer RL. Fos expression is
selectively and differentially regulated by endogenous glucocorticoids
in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and the dentate
gyrus. J Neuroendocrinol. 16(12):970-9, 2004. PDF
O'Connor KA, Ginsberg AB, Maksimova E,
Wieseler Frank JL, Johnson JD, Spencer RL, Campeau S, Watkins LR, Maier
SF. Stress-induced sensitization of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal
axis is associated with alterations of hypothalamic and pituitary gene
expression. Neuroendocrinology. 80(4):252-63. Epub 2004 . PDF
Ginsberg AB, Campeau S, Day HE, Spencer RL.
Acute glucocorticoid pretreatment suppresses stress-induced
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hormone secretion and expression of
corticotropin-releasing hormone hnRNA but does not affect c-fos mRNA or
fos protein expression in the paraventricular nucleus of the
hypothalamus. J Neuroendocrinol. 15(11):1075-83, 2003. PDF
O'Connor KA, Johnson JD, Hammack SE, Brooks
LM, Spencer RL, Watkins LR, Maier SF. Inescapable shock induces
resistance to the effects of dexamethasone. Psychoneuroendocrinology.
28(4):481-500, 2003. PDF
Kalman BA, Spencer RL. Rapid
corticosteroid-dependent regulation of mineralocorticoid receptor
protein expression in rat brain. Endocrinology. 143(11):4184-95, 2002. PDF
Beane ML, Cole MA, Spencer RL, Rudy JW.
Neonatal handling enhances contextual fear conditioning and alters
corticosterone stress responses in young rats. Horm Behav. 41(1):33-40,
2002. PDF
Johnson JD, O'Connor KA, Deak T, Spencer RL,
Watkins LR, Maier SF. Prior stressor exposure primes the HPA axis.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 27(3):353-65, 2002. PDF
Cole MA, Kalman BA, Pace TW, Topczewski F,
Lowrey MJ, Spencer RL. Selective blockade of the mineralocorticoid
receptor impairs hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis expression of
habituation. J Neuroendocrinol. 12(10):1034-42, 2000. PDF
Moraska A, Deak T, Spencer RL, Roth D, Fleshner
M. Treadmill running produces both positive and negative physiological
adaptations in Sprague-Dawley rats. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp
Physiol. 279(4):R1321-9, 2000.
Spencer RL, Hutchison KE. Alcohol, aging, and the stress response.
Alcohol Res Health. 23(4):272-83, 1999.
Spencer RL, Kalman BA, Cotter CS, Deak T.
Discrimination between changes in glucocorticoid receptor expression
and activation in rat brain using western blot analysis.
Brain Res. 868(2):275-86, 2000.
Cole MA, Kim PJ, Kalman BA, Spencer RL. Dexamethasone suppression of
corticosteroid secretion: evaluation of the site of action by receptor
measures and functional studies. Psychoneuroendocrinology.
25(2):151-67, 2000.
Deak T, Nguyen KT, Cotter CS, Fleshner M, Watkins LR, Maier SF, Spencer
RL. Long-term changes in mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptor
occupancy following exposure to an acute stressor.
Brain Res. 847(2):211-20, 1999.
Deak T, Nguyen KT, Ehrlich AL, Watkins LR, Spencer RL, Maier SF,
Licinio J, Wong ML, Chrousos GP, Webster E, Gold PW. The impact of the
nonpeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone antagonist antalarmin on
behavioral and endocrine responses to stress. Endocrinology.
140(1):79-86, 1999.
Kim PJ, Cole MA, Kalman BA, Spencer RL. Evaluation of RU28318 and
RU40555 as selective mineralocorticoid receptor and glucocorticoid
receptor antagonists, respectively: receptor measures and
functional studies. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 67(3):213-22, 1998.
Spencer RL, Moday HJ, Miller AH. Maintenance of Basal ACTH Levels by
Corticosterone and RU28362, but not Aldosterone: Relationship to
Available Type I and Type II Corticosteroid Receptor Levels in Brain
and Pituitary. Stress. 2(1):51-64, 1997.
Spencer RL, Kim PJ, Kalman BA, Cole MA. Evidence for mineralocorticoid
receptor facilitation of glucocorticoid receptor-dependent regulation
of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. Endocrinology.
139(6):2718-26, 1998.
Deak T, Meriwether JL, Fleshner M, Spencer RL, Abouhamze A, Moldawer
LL, Grahn RE, Watkins LR, Maier SF. Evidence that brief stress may
induce the acute phase response in rats. Am J Physiol. 273(6 Pt
2):R1998-2004, 1997.
Kalman BA, Kim PJ, Cole MA, Chi MS, Spencer RL. Diazepam attenuation of
restraint stress-induced corticosterone levels is enhanced by prior
exposure to repeated restraint. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 22(5):349-60,
1997.
Spencer RL, McEwen BS. Impaired adaptation of the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to chronic ethanol stress in aged
rats.
Neuroendocrinology. 65(5):353-9, 1997.
Spencer RL, Miller AH, Moday H, McEwen BS, Blanchard RJ, Blanchard DC,
Sakai RR. Chronic social stress produces reductions in available
splenic type II corticosteroid receptor binding and plasma
corticosteroid binding globulin levels. Psychoneuroendocrinology.
21(1):95-109, 1996.
Fleshner M, Deak T, Spencer RL, Laudenslager ML, Watkins LR, Maier SF.
A long-term increase in basal levels of corticosterone and a decrease
in corticosteroid-binding globulin after acute stressor exposure.
Endocrinology. 136(12):5336-42, 1995.