Sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods
Sex hormones have been implicated in neurite outgrowth, synaptogenesis, dendritic branching, myelination and other important mechanisms of neural plasticity. Here we review the evidence from animal experiments and human studies reporting interactions between sex hormones and the dominant neurotransm...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2015-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnins.2015.00037/full |
| _version_ | 1828843282366464000 |
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| author | Claudia eBarth Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Julia eSacher Julia eSacher |
| author_facet | Claudia eBarth Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Julia eSacher Julia eSacher |
| author_sort | Claudia eBarth |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sex hormones have been implicated in neurite outgrowth, synaptogenesis, dendritic branching, myelination and other important mechanisms of neural plasticity. Here we review the evidence from animal experiments and human studies reporting interactions between sex hormones and the dominant neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, GABA and glutamate. We provide an overview of accumulating data during physiological and pathological conditions and discuss currently conceptualized theories on how sex hormones potentially trigger neuroplasticity changes through these four neurochemical systems. Many brain regions have been demonstrated to express high densities for estrogen- and progesterone receptors, such as the amygdala, the hypothalamus, and the hippocampus. As the hippocampus is of particular relevance in the context of mediating structural plasticity in the adult brain, we put particular emphasis on what evidence could be gathered thus far that links differences in behavior, neurochemical patterns and hippocampal structure to a changing hormonal environment. Finally, we discuss how physiologically occurring hormonal transition periods in humans can be used to model how changes in sex hormones influence functional connectivity, neurotransmission and brain structure in vivo. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:42:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a697e2a0f014c138b2c94380f62a302 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-453X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T20:42:04Z |
| publishDate | 2015-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a697e2a0f014c138b2c94380f62a3022022-12-22T00:12:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2015-02-01910.3389/fnins.2015.00037113668Sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periodsClaudia eBarth0Arno eVillringer1Arno eVillringer2Arno eVillringer3Arno eVillringer4Arno eVillringer5Julia eSacher6Julia eSacher7Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University LeipzigMax Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University LeipzigClinic of Cognitive Neurology, University of LeipzigLeipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases, University of LeipzigIntegrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity DiseasesBerlin School of Mind and Brain, Mind and Brain InstituteMax Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University LeipzigClinic of Cognitive Neurology, University of LeipzigSex hormones have been implicated in neurite outgrowth, synaptogenesis, dendritic branching, myelination and other important mechanisms of neural plasticity. Here we review the evidence from animal experiments and human studies reporting interactions between sex hormones and the dominant neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, GABA and glutamate. We provide an overview of accumulating data during physiological and pathological conditions and discuss currently conceptualized theories on how sex hormones potentially trigger neuroplasticity changes through these four neurochemical systems. Many brain regions have been demonstrated to express high densities for estrogen- and progesterone receptors, such as the amygdala, the hypothalamus, and the hippocampus. As the hippocampus is of particular relevance in the context of mediating structural plasticity in the adult brain, we put particular emphasis on what evidence could be gathered thus far that links differences in behavior, neurochemical patterns and hippocampal structure to a changing hormonal environment. Finally, we discuss how physiologically occurring hormonal transition periods in humans can be used to model how changes in sex hormones influence functional connectivity, neurotransmission and brain structure in vivo.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnins.2015.00037/fullEstrogensProgesteroneneurotransmittersplasticityhormonal transition periods |
| spellingShingle | Claudia eBarth Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Arno eVillringer Julia eSacher Julia eSacher Sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods Frontiers in Neuroscience Estrogens Progesterone neurotransmitters plasticity hormonal transition periods |
| title | Sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods |
| title_full | Sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods |
| title_fullStr | Sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods |
| title_short | Sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods |
| title_sort | sex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods |
| topic | Estrogens Progesterone neurotransmitters plasticity hormonal transition periods |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnins.2015.00037/full |
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