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
Dhananjie Chandrasekera, Assistant Research Fellow
Molecular regulation of CRH neurons
Email dhananjie.chandrasekera@otago.ac.nz
Caroline Focke, PhD student
Revealing the circadian rhythms of CRH neuron excitability
Email caroline.focke@postgrad.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, Honours student
Circadian regulation of CRH neurons
Visit Our people for an alphabetical list of all Centre for Neuroendocrinology staff.
Publications
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. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.02.017
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
Iremonger, K., & Gouws, J. (2018). Regulation of CRH neuronal network activity by noradrenergic stress signals. Proceedings of the 9th International Congress of Neuroendocrinology (ICN). (pp. 149). Retrieved from http://www.icn2018.org/
Focke, C., & Iremonger, K. (2018). Investigating the natural rhythms if CRH neuron excitability over the day. Proceedings of the 9th International Congress of Neuroendocrinology (ICN). (pp. 155). Retrieved from http://www.icn2018.org/
Kim, J., & Iremonger, K. (2018). Stress familiarity but not fast negative feedback robustly tunes stress neuron output. Proceedings of the 9th International Congress of Neuroendocrinology (ICN). (pp. 150-151). Retrieved from http://www.icn2018.org/
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
Journal - Research Article
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. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.02.017
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
Constantin, S., Iremonger, K. J., & Herbison, A. E. (2013). In vivo recordings of GnRH neuron firing reveal heterogeneity and dependence upon GABAA receptor signaling. Journal of Neuroscience, 33(22), 9394-9401. doi: 10.1523/jneurosci.0533-13.2013
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
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
Journal - Research Other
Iremonger, K. J. (2013). It takes more than one κ opioid receptor to inhibit a POMC neuron. Journal of Physiology, 591(7), 1595-1596. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2013.251637
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Iremonger, K., & Gouws, J. (2018). Regulation of CRH neuronal network activity by noradrenergic stress signals. Proceedings of the 9th International Congress of Neuroendocrinology (ICN). (pp. 149). Retrieved from http://www.icn2018.org/
