Mineralocorticoid receptors in brain, in health and disease: possibilities for new pharmacotherapy.

Mineralocorticoid receptors in brain are involved in the regulation of stress hormone secretion and complex behavior, such as emotion, memory, and sleep. In man, the role of mineralocorticoid receptors in the pathophysiology of stress-related psychiatric disorders has still not sufficiently been characterized. Nevertheless, recent research findings promise possibilities for new pharmacotherapy via modulation of mineralocorticoid receptor function.