Dynamics of Sstr4 expression during chronic stress loading and its potential as a chronic stress marker

The somatostatin 4 receptor (Sstr4) is a type of somatostatin receptor that has been indicated to be associated with anxiolytic and depression-like behavior. It has recently been indicated that chronic stress or multiple stress loads may be associated with mental illness (e.g., anxiety disorder, mood disorder) and depressive behavior by various mechanisms. Based on this, it was hypothesized that the expression of Sstr4 may fluctuate even during chronic stress, reflecting mental illnesses (e.g., anxiety disorders, mood disorders) and depressive behavior that are caused by chronic stress. In other words, we hypothesized that Sstr4 could be a marker for diagnosing chronic stress, and to that end, we examined this receptor.生长抑素4受体（somatostatin 4 receptor, Sstr4）属于生长抑素受体家族，已有研究证实其与抗焦虑效应及类抑郁行为存在关联。近期研究表明，慢性应激或多重应激负荷可通过多种分子机制与精神疾病（如焦虑障碍、心境障碍）及抑郁行为相关联。基于上述背景，本研究提出假设：即使在慢性应激进程中，Sstr4的表达水平亦会发生动态波动，该波动可反映慢性应激诱发的精神疾病（如焦虑障碍、心境障碍）及抑郁行为。换言之，我们假设Sstr4可作为慢性应激的诊断标志物，为此针对该受体开展了相关研究。