Used in research to study stress responses and adrenal function, corticosterone serves as a key glucocorticoid in rodent models to investigate the effects of chronic stress on behavior, metabolism, and immune function. It is also applied in endocrinology studies to understand hormone regulation and feedback mechanisms in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In cell culture, it helps examine glucocorticoid receptor signaling and steroid hormone effects on gene expression. Additionally, corticosterone is utilized in animal models of depression, anxiety, and cognitive disorders to assess the impact of elevated stress hormones on brain function and neuroplasticity.