Iremonger Laboratory, Research, Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, New Zealand

Research interests

At the Centre for Neuroendocrinology, our research focuses on understanding how the excitability of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons is regulated. CRH neurons are activated in response to stress and are responsible for controlling the levels of stress hormones in the body.

We are particularly interested in determining how changes in synaptic inputs and dendritic excitability regulate CRH neuron activity and function.

Clinical conditions

Stress
Depression

Dr Karl Iremonger's researcher profile

List of publications for Karl Iremonger (Google Scholar)

Iremonger Laboratory staff & students

Dharshini Ganeshan, Assistant Research Fellow
Molecular regulation of CRH neurons
Email dharshini.ganeshan@otago.ac.nz

Joon Kim, Postdoctoral Fellow
Regulation of CRH neuron activity dynamics in vivo
Email joon.kim@otago.ac.nz

Emmet Power, Postdoctoral Fellow
Understanding sex differences in neural circuits controlling stress
Email emmet.power@otago.ac.nz

Shaojie Zheng, PhD student
Control of ultradian stress hormone rhythms by hypothalamic CRH neurons
Email: zhesh339@student.otago.ac.nz

Jamie Paul, Honours student

Isaac Tripp, Honours student

Visit Our people for an alphabetical list of all Centre for Neuroendocrinology staff.

Publications

Focke, C. M. B., & Iremonger, K. J. (2020). Rhythmicity matters: Circadian and ultradian patterns of HPA axis activity. Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, 501, 110652. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2019.110652

Perkinson, M. R., Kim, J. S., Brown, C. H., & Iremonger, K. J. (2020). Characterisation of an oxytocin-ires-cre mouse model for recording oxytocin neuron bursts in behaving mice. FASEB Journal, 34(Suppl. 1). doi: 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.03560

Abbasi, M., Perkinson, M., Brown, C., & Iremonger, K. (2020). Kisspeptin regulation of oxytocin neuron activity in late pregnancy. FASEB Journal, 34(Suppl. 1). doi: 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.02418

Bittar, T. P., Nair, B. B., Kim, J. S., Chandrasekera, D., Sherrington, A., & Iremonger, K. J. (2019). Corticosterone mediated functional and structural plasticity in corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons. Neuropharmacology, 154, 79-86. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.02.017

Kim, J. S., Han, S. Y., & Iremonger, K. J. (2019). Stress experience and hormone feedback tune distinct components of hypothalamic CRH neuron activity. Nature Communications, 10, 5696. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-13639-8

Chapter in Book - Research
Journal - Research Article

Chapter in Book - Research

Iremonger, K. J., & Herbison, A. E. (2015). Elucidating the structure and function of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) neuron dendrites. In W. E. Armstrong & J. G. Tasker (Eds.), Neurophysiology of neuroendocrine neurons. (pp. 273-300). Chichester, UK: Wiley Blackwell. doi: 10.1002/9781118606803.ch12

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Journal - Research Article

Choi, J.-H., Jeong, Y.-M., Kim, S., Lee, B., Ariyasiri, K., Kim, H.-T., … Jamieson, B. B., Kim, J. S., Iremonger, K. J., … Kim, C.-H. (2018). Targeted knockout of a chemokine-like gene increases anxiety and fear responses. PNAS, 115(5), e1041-e1050. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1707663115

Jamieson, B. B., Nair, B. B., & Iremonger, K. J. (2017). Regulation of hypothalamic corticotropin‐releasing hormone neurone excitability by oxytocin. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 29(11), e12532. doi: 10.1111/jne.12532

Clarkson, J., Han, S. Y., Piet, R., McLennan, T., Kane, G. M., Ng, J., Porteous, R. W., Kim, J. S., … Iremonger, K. J., & Herbison, A. E. (2017). Definition of the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator in mice. PNAS, 114(47), E10216-E10223. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1713897114

Iremonger, K. J., Porteous, R., & Herbison, A. E. (2017). Spike and neuropeptide-dependent mechanisms control GnRH neuron nerve terminal Ca²⁺ over diverse time scales. Journal of Neuroscience, 37(12), 3342-3351. doi: 10.1523/jneurosci.2925-16.2017

Iremonger, K. J., & Bains, J. S. (2016). Asynchronous presynaptic glutamate release enhances neuronal excitability during the post-spike refractory period. Journal of Physiology, 594(4), 1005-1015. doi: 10.1113/JP271485

Iremonger, K. J., & Herbison, A. E. (2015). Multitasking in gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuron dendrites. Neuroendocrinology, 102(1-2), 1-7. doi: 10.1159/000368364

Iremonger, K. J., Wamsteeker Cusulin, J. I., & Bains, J. S. (2013). Changing the tune: Plasticity and adaptation of retrograde signals. Trends in Neurosciences, 36(8), 471-479. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2013.04.007

Constantin, S., Iremonger, K. J., & Herbison, A. E. (2013). In vivo recordings of GnRH neuron firing reveal heterogeneity and dependence upon GABA_A receptor signaling. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(22), 9394-9401. doi: 10.1523/jneurosci.0533-13.2013

Chen, X., Iremonger, K., Herbison, A., Kirk, V., & Sneyd, J. (2013). Regulation of electrical bursting in a spatiotemporal model of a GnRH neuron. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, 75(10), 1941-1960. doi: 10.1007/s11538-013-9877-7

Herde, M. K., Iremonger, K. J., Constantin, S., & Herbison, A. E. (2013). GnRH neurons elaborate a long-range projection with shared axonal and dendritic functions. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(31), 12689-12697. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0579-13.2013

Constantin, S., Piet, R., Iremonger, K., Yeo, S. H., Clarkson, J., Porteous, R., & Herbison, A. E. (2012). GnRH neuron firing and response to GABA in vitro depend on acute brain slice thickness and orientation. Endocrinology, 153(8), 3758-3769. doi: 10.1210/en.2012-1126

Iremonger, K. J., & Herbison, A. E. (2012). Initiation and propagation of action potentials in gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuron dendrites. Journal of Neuroscience, 32(1), 151-158. doi: 10.1523/jneurosci.3739-11.2012

Iremonger, K. J., Kuzmiski, J. B., Baimoukhametova, D. V., & Bains, J. S. (2011). Dual regulation of anterograde and retrograde transmission by endocannabinoids. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(33), 12011-12020. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2925-11.2011

Iremonger, K. J., Benediktsson, A. M., & Bains, J. S. (2010). Glutamatergic synaptic transmission in neuroendocrine cells: Basic principles and mechanisms of plasticity. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 31(3), 296-306. doi: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2010.03.002

Iremonger, K. J., Constantin, S., Liu, X., & Herbison, A. E. (2010). Glutamate regulation of GnRH neuron excitability. Brain Research, 1364, 35-43. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.08.071

Iremonger, K. J., & Bains, J. S. (2009). Retrograde opioid signaling regulates glutamergic transmission in the hypothalamus. Journal of Neuroscience, 29(22), 7349-7358. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0381-09.2009

Gordon, G. R. J., Iremonger, K. J., Kantevari, S., Ellis-Davies, G. C. R., MacVicar, B. A., & Bains, J. S. (2009). Astrocyte-mediated distributed plasticity at hypothalamic glutamate synapses. Neuron, 64, 391-403. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2009.10.021

Iremonger, K. J., & Bains, J. S. (2008). Dynamic synapses in the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal system. Progress in Brain Research, 170, 119-128. doi: 10.1016/S0079-6123(08)00411-1

Iremonger, K. J., & Bains, J. S. (2007). Integration of asynchronously released quanta prolongs the postsynaptic spike window. Journal of Neuroscience, 27(25), 6684-6691. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0934-07.2007

Iremonger, K. J., Anderson, T. R., Hu, B., & Kiss, Z. H. T. (2006). Cellular mechanisms preventing sustained activation of cortex during subcortical high-frequency stimulation. Journal of Neurophysiology, 96, 613-621. doi: 10.1152/jn.00105.2006

Anderson, T. R., Hu, B., Iremonger, K., & Kiss, Z. H. T. (2006). Selective attenuation of afferent synaptic transmission as a mechanism of thalamic deep brain stimulation-induced tremor arrest. Journal of Neuroscience, 26(3), 841-850. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3523-05.2006

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