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Circulating Estradiol Regulates Brain-Derived Estradiol via Actions at GnRH Receptors to Impact Memory in Ovariectomized Rats. eNeuro 2016; 3:eN-NWR-0321-16. [PMID: 28032117 PMCID: PMC5172373 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0321-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic estradiol treatment enhances hippocampus-dependent memory in ovariectomized rats. Although these enhancements are traditionally thought to be due to circulating estradiol, recent data suggest these changes are brought on by hippocampus-derived estradiol, the synthesis of which depends on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) activity. The goal of the current work is to test the hypothesis that peripheral estradiol affects hippocampus-dependent memory through brain-derived estradiol regulated via hippocampal GnRH receptor activity. In the first experiment, intracerebroventricular infusion of letrozole, which prevents the synthesis of estradiol, blocked the ability of peripheral estradiol administration in ovariectomized rats to enhance hippocampus-dependent memory in a radial-maze task. In the second experiment, hippocampal infusion of antide, a long-lasting GnRH receptor antagonist, blocked the ability of peripheral estradiol administration in ovariectomized rats to enhance hippocampus-dependent memory. In the third experiment, hippocampal infusion of GnRH enhanced hippocampus-dependent memory, the effects of which were blocked by letrozole infusion. Results indicate that peripheral estradiol-induced enhancement of cognition is mediated by brain-derived estradiol via hippocampal GnRH receptor activity.
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252
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Koebele SV, Bimonte-Nelson HA. The endocrine-brain-aging triad where many paths meet: female reproductive hormone changes at midlife and their influence on circuits important for learning and memory. Exp Gerontol 2016; 94:14-23. [PMID: 27979770 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2016.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Revised: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 12/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Female mammals undergo natural fluctuations in sex steroid hormone levels throughout life. These fluctuations span from early development, to cyclic changes associated with the menstrual or estrous cycle and pregnancy, to marked hormone flux during perimenopause, and a final decline at reproductive senescence. While the transition to reproductive senescence is not yet fully understood, the vast majority of mammals experience this spontaneous, natural phenomenon with age, which has broad implications for long-lived species. Indeed, this post-reproductive life stage, and its transition, involves significant and enduring physiological changes, including considerably altered sex steroid hormone and gonadotropin profiles that impact multiple body systems, including the brain. The endocrine-brain-aging triad is especially noteworthy, as many paths meet and interact. Many of the brain regions affected by aging are also sensitive to changes in ovarian hormone levels, and aging and reproductive senescence are both associated with changes in memory performance. This review explores how menopause is related to cognitive aging, and discusses some of the key neural systems and molecular factors altered with age and reproductive hormone level changes, with an emphasis on brain regions important for learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie V Koebele
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ 85006, United States
| | - Heather A Bimonte-Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, United States; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ 85006, United States.
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253
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Huntingtin polyQ Mutation Impairs the 17β-Estradiol/Neuroglobin Pathway Devoted to Neuron Survival. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:6634-6646. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-0337-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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254
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Hiroi R, Weyrich G, Koebele SV, Mennenga SE, Talboom JS, Hewitt LT, Lavery CN, Mendoza P, Jordan A, Bimonte-Nelson HA. Benefits of Hormone Therapy Estrogens Depend on Estrogen Type: 17β-Estradiol and Conjugated Equine Estrogens Have Differential Effects on Cognitive, Anxiety-Like, and Depressive-Like Behaviors and Increase Tryptophan Hydroxylase-2 mRNA Levels in Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Subregions. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:517. [PMID: 28008302 PMCID: PMC5143618 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Decreased serotonin (5-HT) function is associated with numerous cognitive and affective disorders. Women are more vulnerable to these disorders and have a lower rate of 5-HT synthesis than men. Serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) are a major source of 5-HT in the forebrain and play a critical role in regulation of stress-related disorders. In particular, polymorphisms of tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TpH2, the brain-specific, rate-limiting enzyme for 5-HT biosynthesis) are implicated in cognitive and affective disorders. Administration of 17β-estradiol (E2), the most potent naturally circulating estrogen in women and rats, can have beneficial effects on cognitive, anxiety-like, and depressive-like behaviors. Moreover, E2 increases TpH2 mRNA in specific subregions of the DRN. Although conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) are a commonly prescribed estrogen component of hormone therapy in menopausal women, there is a marked gap in knowledge regarding how CEE affects these behaviors and the brain 5-HT system. Therefore, we compared the effects of CEE and E2 treatments on behavior and TpH2 mRNA. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized, administered either vehicle, CEE, or E2 and tested on a battery of cognitive, anxiety-like, and depressive-like behaviors. The brains of these animals were subsequently analyzed for TpH2 mRNA. Both CEE and E2 exerted beneficial behavioral effects, although efficacy depended on the distinct behavior and for cognition, on the task difficulty. Compared to CEE, E2 generally had more robust anxiolytic and antidepressant effects. E2 increased TpH2 mRNA in the caudal and mid DRN, corroborating previous findings. However, CEE increased TpH2 mRNA in the caudal and rostral, but not the mid, DRN, suggesting that distinct estrogens can have subregion-specific effects on TpH2 gene expression. We also found differential correlations between the level of TpH2 mRNA in specific DRN subregions and behavior, depending on the type of behavior. These distinct associations imply that cognition, anxiety-like, and depressive-like behaviors are modulated by unique serotonergic neurocircuitry, opening the possibility of novel avenues of targeted treatment for different types of cognitive and affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoko Hiroi
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's ConsortiumPhoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Giulia Weyrich
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's ConsortiumPhoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Stephanie V Koebele
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's ConsortiumPhoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Sarah E Mennenga
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's ConsortiumPhoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Joshua S Talboom
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's ConsortiumPhoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Lauren T Hewitt
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's ConsortiumPhoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Courtney N Lavery
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's ConsortiumPhoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Perla Mendoza
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's ConsortiumPhoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Ambra Jordan
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's ConsortiumPhoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Heather A Bimonte-Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State UniversityTempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's ConsortiumPhoenix, AZ, USA
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255
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Yamada J, Hatabe J, Tankyo K, Jinno S. Cell type- and region-specific enhancement of adult hippocampal neurogenesis by daidzein in middle-aged female mice. Neuropharmacology 2016; 111:92-106. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.08.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/27/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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256
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Mitra S, Bastos CP, Bates K, Pereira GS, Bult-Ito A. Ovarian Sex Hormones Modulate Compulsive, Affective and Cognitive Functions in A Non-Induced Mouse Model of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:215. [PMID: 27881956 PMCID: PMC5101197 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
There is currently a lack of understanding of how surgical menopause can influence obsessions, compulsions and associated affective and cognitive functions in female obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients. Early menopause in women due to surgical removal of ovaries not only causes dramatic hormonal changes, but also may induce affective and cognitive disorders. Here, we tested if surgical removal of ovaries (ovariectomy, OVX), which mimics surgical menopause in humans, would result in exacerbation of compulsive, affective and cognitive behaviors in mice strains that exhibit a spontaneous compulsive-like phenotype. Female mice from compulsive-like BIG, non-compulsive SMALL and randomly-bred Control strains were subjected to OVX or sham-surgery. After 7 days animals were tested for nest building and marble burying to measure compulsive-like behavior. The elevated plus maze and open field tests measured anxiety-like behaviors, while memory was assessed by the novel object recognition. Acute OVX resulted in exacerbation of compulsive-like and anxiety-like behaviors in compulsive-like BIG mice. No significant effects of OVX were observed for the non-compulsive SMALL and Control strains. Object recognition memory was impaired in compulsive-like BIG female mice compared to the Control mice, without an effect of OVX on the BIG mice. We also tested whether 17 β-estradiol (E2) or progesterone (P4) could reverse the effects of OVX. E2, but not P4, attenuated the compulsive-like behaviors in compulsive-like BIG OVX female mice. The actions of the sex steroids on anxiety-like behaviors in OVX females were strain and behavioral test dependent. Altogether, our results indicate that already existing compulsions can be worsened during acute ovarian deprivation concomitant with exacerbation of affective behaviors and responses to hormonal intervention in OVX female mice can be influenced by genetic background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swarup Mitra
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK, USA; IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Cristiane P Bastos
- IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK, USA; Núcleo de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas GeraisBelo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Katherine Bates
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Grace S Pereira
- Núcleo de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Abel Bult-Ito
- IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK, USA; Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK, USA
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257
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Koss WA, Frick KM. Sex differences in hippocampal function. J Neurosci Res 2016; 95:539-562. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Revised: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wendy A. Koss
- Department of Psychology; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Milwaukee Wisconsin
| | - Karyn M. Frick
- Department of Psychology; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Milwaukee Wisconsin
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258
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Georgakis MK, Kalogirou EI, Diamantaras AA, Daskalopoulou SS, Munro CA, Lyketsos CG, Skalkidou A, Petridou ET. Age at menopause and duration of reproductive period in association with dementia and cognitive function: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 73:224-243. [PMID: 27543884 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2016] [Revised: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The preponderance of dementia among postmenopausal women compared with same-age men and the female sex hormones neuroprotective properties support a tentative role of their deficiency in the dementia pathogenesis. METHODS Pairs of independent reviewers screened 12,323 publications derived from a search strategy for MEDLINE to identify articles investigating the association of age at menopause/reproductive period with (i) dementia and (ii) cognitive function; a snowball of eligible articles and reviews was conducted and authors were contacted for additional information. Random-effect models were used for the meta-analysis. RESULTS Age at menopause (13 studies; 19,449 participants) and reproductive period (4 studies; 9916 participants) in the highest categories were not associated with odds of dementia (effect size [ES]: 0.97 [0.78-1.21]) and Alzheimer's disease (ES: 1.06 [0.71-1.58]). Significant heterogeneity was however noted in both analyses (I2: 63.3%, p=0.003 and I2: 72.6%, p=0.01, respectively). Subgroup analyses by outcome assessment, study design, level of adjustment and study quality did not materially change the findings. In 9/13 studies assessing cognitive function, advanced age at menopause/longer reproductive period was significantly associated with better cognitive performance/lower decline. Due to statistical differences, no meta-analysis was possible for cognitive function. CONCLUSIONS Existing evidence does not support an association between indices of prolonged exposure to female hormones and lower dementia risk. There are indications, however, for better cognitive performance and delayed cognitive decline, supporting a link between female hormone deficiency and cognitive aging. Current literature limitations, indicated by the heterogeneous study-set, point towards research priorities in this clinically relevant area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marios K Georgakis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece.
| | - Eleni I Kalogirou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece.
| | - Andreas-Antonios Diamantaras
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece; Program Medical Neurosciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
| | - Stella S Daskalopoulou
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1A4, Canada.
| | - Cynthia A Munro
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
| | - Constantine G Lyketsos
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
| | - Alkistis Skalkidou
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 751 85, Sweden.
| | - Eleni Th Petridou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece.
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259
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Pfeiler
- Department of Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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260
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Snyder HM, Asthana S, Bain L, Brinton R, Craft S, Dubal DB, Espeland MA, Gatz M, Mielke MM, Raber J, Rapp PR, Yaffe K, Carrillo MC. Sex biology contributions to vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease: A think tank convened by the Women's Alzheimer's Research Initiative. Alzheimers Dement 2016; 12:1186-1196. [PMID: 27692800 DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2016.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) today, and nearly two-thirds of Americans with AD are women. This sex difference may be due to the higher longevity women generally experience; however, increasing evidence suggests that longevity alone is not a sufficient explanation and there may be other factors at play. The Alzheimer's Association convened an expert think tank to focus on the state of the science and level of evidence around gender and biological sex differences for AD, including the knowledge gaps and areas of science that need to be more fully addressed. This article summarizes the think tank discussion, moving forward a research agenda and funding program to better understand the biological underpinnings of sex- and gender-related disparities of risk for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Snyder
- Division of Medical & Scientific Relations, Alzheimer's Association, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Sanjay Asthana
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Lisa Bain
- Independent Science Writer, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Roberta Brinton
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Suzanne Craft
- Department of Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Dena B Dubal
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mark A Espeland
- Department of Biostatistical Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Margaret Gatz
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michelle M Mielke
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences Research and Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Jacob Raber
- Departments of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurology, and Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Division of Neuroscience, ONPRC, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Peter R Rapp
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurocognitive Aging Section, National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kristine Yaffe
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maria C Carrillo
- Division of Medical & Scientific Relations, Alzheimer's Association, Chicago, IL, USA
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261
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L-Type Calcium Channels Modulation by Estradiol. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:4996-5007. [PMID: 27525676 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-0045-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Voltage-gated calcium channels are key regulators of brain function, and their dysfunction has been associated with multiple conditions and neurodegenerative diseases because they couple membrane depolarization to the influx of calcium-and other processes such as gene expression-in excitable cells. L-type calcium channels, one of the three major classes and probably the best characterized of the voltage-gated calcium channels, act as an essential calcium binding proteins with a significant biological relevance. It is well known that estradiol can activate rapidly brain signaling pathways and modulatory/regulatory proteins through non-genomic (or non-transcriptional) mechanisms, which lead to an increase of intracellular calcium that activate multiple kinases and signaling cascades, in the same way as L-type calcium channels responses. In this context, estrogens-L-type calcium channels signaling raises intracellular calcium levels and activates the same signaling cascades in the brain probably through estrogen receptor-independent modulatory mechanisms. In this review, we discuss the available literature on this area, which seems to suggest that estradiol exerts dual effects/modulation on these channels in a concentration-dependent manner (as a potentiator of these channels in pM concentrations and as an inhibitor in nM concentrations). Indeed, estradiol may orchestrate multiple neurotrophic responses, which open a new avenue for the development of novel estrogen-based therapies to alleviate different neuropathologies. We also highlight that it is essential to determine through computational and/or experimental approaches the interaction between estradiol and L-type calcium channels to assist these developments, which is an interesting area of research that deserves a closer look in future biomedical research.
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262
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Grissom EM, Daniel JM. Evidence for Ligand-Independent Activation of Hippocampal Estrogen Receptor-α by IGF-1 in Hippocampus of Ovariectomized Rats. Endocrinology 2016; 157:3149-56. [PMID: 27254005 PMCID: PMC4967122 DOI: 10.1210/en.2016-1197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the absence of ovarian estrogens, increased levels of estrogen receptor (ER)α in the hippocampus are associated with improvements in cognition. In vitro evidence indicates that under conditions of low estrogen, growth factors, including Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), can activate ERα and regulate ERα-mediated transcription through mechanisms that likely involve modification of phosphorylation sites on the receptor. The goal of the current work was to investigate a role for IGF-1 in ligand-independent activation of ERα in the hippocampus of female rats. Ovariectomized rats received a single intracerebroventricular infusion of IGF-1 and hippocampi were collected 1 or 24 hours later. After 1 h, IGF-1 increased hippocampal levels of phosphorylated ERα at serine 118 (S118) as revealed by Western blotting. Coimmunoprecipitation revealed that at 1 hour after infusion, IGF-1 increased association between ERα and steroid receptor coactivator 1, a histone acetyltransferase that increases transcriptional activity of phosphorylated ERα. IGF-1 infusion increased levels of the ERα-regulated proteins ERα, choline acetyltransferase, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus 24 hours after infusion. Results indicate that IGF-1 activates ERα in ligand-independent manner in the hippocampus via phosphorylation at S118 resulting in increased association of ERα with steroid receptor coactivator 1 and elevation of ER-regulated proteins. To our knowledge, these data are the first in vivo evidence of ligand-independent actions of ERα and provide a mechanism by which ERα can impact memory in the absence of ovarian estrogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elin M Grissom
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118
| | - Jill M Daniel
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118
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263
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Tuscher JJ, Szinte JS, Starrett JR, Krentzel AA, Fortress AM, Remage-Healey L, Frick KM. Inhibition of local estrogen synthesis in the hippocampus impairs hippocampal memory consolidation in ovariectomized female mice. Horm Behav 2016; 83:60-67. [PMID: 27178577 PMCID: PMC4915975 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The potent estrogen 17β-Estradiol (E2) plays a critical role in mediating hippocampal function, yet the precise mechanisms through which E2 enhances hippocampal memory remain unclear. In young adult female rodents, the beneficial effects of E2 on memory are generally attributed to ovarian-synthesized E2. However, E2 is also synthesized in the adult brain in numerous species, where it regulates synaptic plasticity and is synthesized in response to experiences such as exposure to females or conspecific song. Although de novo E2 synthesis has been demonstrated in rodent hippocampal cultures, little is known about the functional role of local E2 synthesis in mediating hippocampal memory function. Therefore, the present study examined the role of hippocampal E2 synthesis in hippocampal memory consolidation. Using bilateral dorsal hippocampal infusions of the aromatase inhibitor letrozole, we first found that blockade of dorsal hippocampal E2 synthesis impaired hippocampal memory consolidation. We next found that elevated levels of E2 in the dorsal hippocampus observed 30min after object training were blocked by dorsal hippocampal infusion of letrozole, suggesting that behavioral experience increases acute and local E2 synthesis. Finally, aromatase inhibition did not prevent exogenous E2 from enhancing hippocampal memory consolidation, indicating that hippocampal E2 synthesis is not necessary for exogenous E2 to enhance hippocampal memory. Combined, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that hippocampally-synthesized E2 is necessary for hippocampus-dependent memory consolidation in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer J Tuscher
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
| | - Julia S Szinte
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
| | - Joseph R Starrett
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Amanda A Krentzel
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Ashley M Fortress
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
| | - Luke Remage-Healey
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States.
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264
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Gerbarg PL, Brown RP. Pause menopause with Rhodiola rosea, a natural selective estrogen receptor modulator. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2016; 23:763-769. [PMID: 26776957 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2015.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Menopausal women are challenged by the adverse effects of estrogen loss on energy, mood, cognitive function, and memory. These stresses are compounded by increased risks for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cancer. Known to have neuroprotective, cardio-protective, anti-oxidative and anti-carcinogenic effects, Rhodiola rosea extracts have also been shown to improve energy, mood, cognitive function and memory. PURPOSE We propose that R. rosea be investigated for use as a potential selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) in the prevention and treatment of menopause-related fatigue, stress, depression, cognitive decline, memory impairment, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and cancer. METHOD This paper briefly reviews the relationship between estrogen decline and menopause-related health risks, the molecular mechanisms underlying estrogenic effects on health, and the evidence indicating beneficial effects of R. rosea extracts on these mechanisms and health risks. Mechanisms include non-genomic and genomic effects, for example: activation of intra-cellular signal transduction pathways by binding to estrogen receptors, ERα-mediated activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase with increased nitric oxide release; and anti-inflammatory effects, counteracting TNFα by inhibiting nuclear factor-Kappa-B (NF-KB) and protection of osteoblasts from hydrogen peroxide. A clinical case illustrating treatment of a menopausal woman with R. rosea is presented. Risks, benefits, gaps in knowledge, and future directions are discussed. CONCLUSION Numerous lines of evidence indicate that R. rosea should be investigated as a potential selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) to prevent, delay or mitigate menopause-related cognitive, psychological, cardiovascular and osteoporotic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia L Gerbarg
- New York Medical College, 86 Sherry Lane, Kingston, NY 12401, United States.
| | - Richard P Brown
- Columbia University College of Medicine, NY, 86 Sherry Lane, Kingston, NY 12401, United States
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265
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Hamson DK, Roes MM, Galea LAM. Sex Hormones and Cognition: Neuroendocrine Influences on Memory and Learning. Compr Physiol 2016; 6:1295-337. [DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c150031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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266
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Abstract
Wnt signaling has emerged in recent years as a major player in both nervous system development and adult synaptic plasticity. Of particular relevance to researchers studying learning and memory, Wnt signaling is critical for normal functioning of the hippocampus, a brain region that is essential for many types of memory formation and whose dysfunction is implicated in numerous neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions. Impaired hippocampal Wnt signaling is implicated in several of these conditions, however, little is known about how Wnt signaling mediates hippocampal memory formation. This review will provide a general overview of Wnt signaling and discuss evidence demonstrating a key role for Wnt signaling in hippocampal memory formation in both normal and disease states. The regulation of Wnt signaling by ovarian sex steroid hormones will also be highlighted, given that the neuroprotection afforded by Wnt-hormone interactions may have significant implications for cognitive function in aging, neurodegenerative disease, and ischemic injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M Fortress
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, USA
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267
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Luine V. Estradiol: Mediator of memories, spine density and cognitive resilience to stress in female rodents. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2016; 160:189-95. [PMID: 26241030 PMCID: PMC4734902 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2015.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Estradiol rapidly activates, within minutes, various physiological functions and behaviors including cognition in rodents. This review describes rapid effects of estradiol on hippocampal dependent learning and memory tasks in rodents. Mechanisms underlying the memory enhancements including the activation of signaling molecules and the enhancement of dendritic spinogenesis are briefly reviewed. In addition, the role of estradiol in the cognitive resilience to chronic stress exhibited only in females is discussed including contributions of ovarian as well as intra-hippocampally derived estrogens to this sex difference. Finally, speculations on possible physiologic functions for rapid mnemonic changes mediated by estrogens are made. Overall, the emergence of a novel and powerful mechanism for regulation of cognition by estradiol is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Luine
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College of CUNY, 695 Park Ave., Rm 611 HN, New York, NY 10065, United States.
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268
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Quast A, Hesse V, Hain J, Wermke P, Wermke K. Baby babbling at five months linked to sex hormone levels in early infancy. Infant Behav Dev 2016; 44:1-10. [PMID: 27208625 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2016.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Revised: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Gender-dependent differentiation of the brain at morphological, neurochemical and functional levels of organization have been shown to be primarily controlled by sex differences in gonadal hormone concentrations during pre- and early postnatal development. Indeed, previous studies have reported that pre- and perinatal hormonal environments influence brain development and, consequently, affect sex specific long-term language outcomes. Herein, we investigated whether postnatal surges of estrogen (estradiol) and androgen (testosterone) may predict properties of pre-speech babbling at five months. This study is the first attempt to investigate a possible correlation between sex hormones and infants' articulatory skills during the typical postnatal period of extended hormonal activity known as 'mini-puberty.' A hierarchical, multiple regression approach revealed a significant, robust positive relationship between 4-week concentrations of estradiol and individual articulatory skills. In contrast, testosterone concentrations at five months negatively correlated with articulatory skills at the same age in both boys and girls. Our findings reinforce the assumption of the importance of sex hormones for auditory-vocal development towards language in human infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Quast
- Center for Pre-speech Development and Developmental Disorders, Department of Orthodontics, University of Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Volker Hesse
- German Center for Growth, Development and Health Encouragement during Childhood and Youth, Children's Hospital Berlin-Lindenhof, Germany; Charité - University Medicine, Institute for Experimental Paediatric Endocrinology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes Hain
- Department of Mathematics (Statistics), University of Wuerzburg, Germany
| | | | - Kathleen Wermke
- Center for Pre-speech Development and Developmental Disorders, Department of Orthodontics, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.
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269
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Vega Rivera NM, Gallardo Tenorio A, Fernández-Guasti A, Estrada Camarena E. The Post-Ovariectomy Interval Affects the Antidepressant-Like Action of Citalopram Combined with Ethynyl-Estradiol in the Forced Swim Test in Middle Aged Rats. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2016; 9:ph9020021. [PMID: 27153072 PMCID: PMC4932539 DOI: 10.3390/ph9020021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2015] [Revised: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of a combined therapy with low doses of estrogens plus antidepressants to treat depression associated to perimenopause could be advantageous. However the use of these combinations is controversial due to several factors, including the time of intervention in relation to menopause onset. This paper analyzes whether time post-OVX influences the antidepressant-like action of a combination of ethynyl-estradiol (EE2) and citalopram (CIT) in the forced swim test (FST). Middle-aged (15 months old) female Wistar rats were ovariectomized and after one or three weeks treated with EE2 (1.25, 2.5 or 5.0 µg/rat, s.c.; −48 h) or CIT (1.25, 2.5, 5.0 or 10 mg/kg, i.p./3 injections in 24 h) and tested in the FST. In a second experiment, after one or three weeks of OVX, rats received a combination of an ineffective dose of EE2 (1.25 µg/rat, s.c., −48 h) plus CIT (2.5 mg/kg, i.p./3 injections in 24 h) and subjected to the FST. Finally, the uteri were removed and weighted to obtain an index of the peripheral effects of EE2 administration. EE2 (2.5 or 5.0 µg/rat) reduced immobility after one but not three weeks of OVX. In contrast, no CIT dose reduced immobility at one or three weeks after OVX. When EE2 (1.25 µg/rat) was combined with CIT (2.5 mg/kg) an antidepressant-like effect was observed at one but not three weeks post-OVX. The weight of the uteri augmented when EE2 was administrated three weeks after OVX. The data suggest that the time post-OVX is a crucial factor that contributes to observe the antidepressant-like effect of EE2 alone or in combination with CIT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelly M Vega Rivera
- Neuropsicofarmacología, Dirección de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría "Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz", INPRFM, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, Col San Lorenzo Huipulco 14370, Mexico.
| | - Alfredo Gallardo Tenorio
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados-Sede Sur. IPN, Calzada de los Tenorios 235, Col Granjas Coapa 14330, Mexico.
| | - Alonso Fernández-Guasti
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados-Sede Sur. IPN, Calzada de los Tenorios 235, Col Granjas Coapa 14330, Mexico.
| | - Erika Estrada Camarena
- Neuropsicofarmacología, Dirección de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría "Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz", INPRFM, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, Col San Lorenzo Huipulco 14370, Mexico.
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270
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Jacome LF, Barateli K, Buitrago D, Lema F, Frankfurt M, Luine VN. Gonadal Hormones Rapidly Enhance Spatial Memory and Increase Hippocampal Spine Density in Male Rats. Endocrinology 2016; 157:1357-62. [PMID: 26844375 PMCID: PMC4816741 DOI: 10.1210/en.2015-1959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
17β-estradiol (E2) rapidly, within minutes, activates behaviors and cognition by binding to membrane estrogen receptors, activating cell signaling cascades and increasing dendritic spines. In female rodents, E2 enhances spatial memory within 2-4 hours, and spine density is increased in the CA1 area of the hippocampus within 30-60 minutes. Although chronic gonadal hormone treatments in male rats alter cognition and spines/spine synapses and acute hormone effects occur in hippocampal slices, effects of acute, in vivo hormone administration in males are unknown. Therefore, we assessed rapid effects of E2 (20 μg/kg) and testosterone (T) (750 μg/kg) on spatial memory using the object placement task and on hippocampal spine density using Golgi impregnation. Orchidectomized rats received hormones immediately after the training trial and were tested for retention 2 hours later. Vehicle-injected orchidectomized males spent equal time exploring objects in the old and new locations, but E2- or T-treated subjects spent more time exploring objects at the new location, suggesting enhanced memory. Both hormones also increased spine density in CA1, but not the dentate gyrus, by 20%-40% at 30 minutes and 2 hours after injections. This report is the first, to our knowledge, to show E2 and T enhancements of memory and spine density within such a short time frame in male rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis F Jacome
- Department of Psychology (L.F.J., K.B., D.B., F.L., V.N.L.), Hunter College of City University of New York, New York, New York 10021; and Department of Science Education (M.F.), Hofstra North Shore Long Island Jewish School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York 11549
| | - Ketti Barateli
- Department of Psychology (L.F.J., K.B., D.B., F.L., V.N.L.), Hunter College of City University of New York, New York, New York 10021; and Department of Science Education (M.F.), Hofstra North Shore Long Island Jewish School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York 11549
| | - Dina Buitrago
- Department of Psychology (L.F.J., K.B., D.B., F.L., V.N.L.), Hunter College of City University of New York, New York, New York 10021; and Department of Science Education (M.F.), Hofstra North Shore Long Island Jewish School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York 11549
| | - Franklin Lema
- Department of Psychology (L.F.J., K.B., D.B., F.L., V.N.L.), Hunter College of City University of New York, New York, New York 10021; and Department of Science Education (M.F.), Hofstra North Shore Long Island Jewish School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York 11549
| | - Maya Frankfurt
- Department of Psychology (L.F.J., K.B., D.B., F.L., V.N.L.), Hunter College of City University of New York, New York, New York 10021; and Department of Science Education (M.F.), Hofstra North Shore Long Island Jewish School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York 11549
| | - Victoria N Luine
- Department of Psychology (L.F.J., K.B., D.B., F.L., V.N.L.), Hunter College of City University of New York, New York, New York 10021; and Department of Science Education (M.F.), Hofstra North Shore Long Island Jewish School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York 11549
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271
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Kwakowsky A, Potapov K, Kim S, Peppercorn K, Tate WP, Ábrahám IM. Treatment of beta amyloid 1-42 (Aβ(1-42))-induced basal forebrain cholinergic damage by a non-classical estrogen signaling activator in vivo. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21101. [PMID: 26879842 PMCID: PMC4754683 DOI: 10.1038/srep21101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease (AD), there is a loss in cholinergic innervation targets of basal forebrain which has been implicated in substantial cognitive decline. Amyloid beta peptide (Aβ(1-42)) accumulates in AD that is highly toxic for basal forebrain cholinergic (BFC) neurons. Although the gonadal steroid estradiol is neuroprotective, the administration is associated with risk of off-target effects. Previous findings suggested that non-classical estradiol action on intracellular signaling pathways has ameliorative potential without estrogenic side effects. After Aβ(1-42) injection into mouse basal forebrain, a single dose of 4-estren-3α, 17β-diol (estren), the non-classical estradiol pathway activator, restored loss of cholinergic cortical projections and also attenuated the Aβ(1-42)-induced learning deficits. Estren rapidly and directly phosphorylates c-AMP-response-element-binding-protein and extracellular-signal-regulated-kinase-1/2 in BFC neurons and restores the cholinergic fibers via estrogen receptor-α. These findings indicated that selective activation of non-classical intracellular estrogen signaling has a potential to treat the damage of cholinergic neurons in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Kwakowsky
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research and Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kyoko Potapov
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - SooHyun Kim
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Katie Peppercorn
- Department of Biochemistry, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Warren P. Tate
- Department of Biochemistry, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - István M. Ábrahám
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology, Otago Medical School, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- MTA-NAP-B-Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Centre for Neuroscience, Szentágothai Research Centre, Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
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272
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17β-Estradiol modulates huntingtin levels in rat tissues and in human neuroblastoma cell line. Neurosci Res 2016; 103:59-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2015.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Revised: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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273
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Hampson E, Duff-Canning SJ. Salivary cortisol and explicit memory in postmenopausal women using hormone replacement therapy. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 64:99-107. [PMID: 26630390 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Revised: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Circulating cortisol levels are known to influence explicit memory in humans and other primates. The present study investigated salivary cortisol and its association with explicit memory performance in 99 postmenopausal women (64 treated with conjugated equine estrogens or estradiol, and 35 matched controls not using any form of hormone therapy). Controls were compared with treated women taking estrogens alone (n=39), or taking estrogens in combination with a progestin (n=25). Mean time on hormone therapy was approximately 5 years, with initiation of treatment in close proximity to the onset of menopause. Explicit memory was assessed with the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). Saliva was collected before (basal or resting sample) and after (post-test sample) completing a set of cognitive tasks. Cortisol was measured using a high-sensitivity radioimmunoassay. Treated women were found to have higher resting cortisol concentrations than controls matched for time of day. Basal cortisol was a modest predictor of learning and memory on the CVLT. Higher cortisol was associated with better recall and fewer memory errors, which is consistent with experimental studies examining explicit memory under small increases in circulating cortisol load. Potential cumulative effects on the central nervous system of sustained exposure to mildly increased cortisol in conjunction with the long-term use of oral estrogens are discussed in the context of aging and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Hampson
- Department of Psychology and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, N6A 5C2, Canada.
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274
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275
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Kisler K, Dominguez R. Live-Cell Imaging of the Estrogen Receptor by Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1366:175-187. [PMID: 26585135 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3127-9_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Trafficking studies of plasma membrane-localized intracellular estrogen receptors have mainly relied on biochemical and histological techniques to locate the receptor before and after estradiol stimulation. More often than not these experiments were performed using postmortem, lysed, or fixed tissue samples, whose tissue or cellular structure is typically severely altered or at times completely lost, making the definitive localization of estrogen receptors difficult to ascertain. To overcome this limitation we began using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) to study the trafficking of plasma membrane estrogen receptors. This real-time imaging approach, described in this chapter, permits observation of live, intact cells while allowing visualization of the steps (in time and spatial distribution) involved in receptor activation by estradiol and movements on and near the membrane. TIRFM yields high-contrast real-time images of fluorescently labeled E6BSA molecules on and just below the cell surface and is ideal for studying estrogen receptor trafficking in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kassandra Kisler
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, and the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, 1501 San Pablo St., ZNI 323, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Reymundo Dominguez
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Keck Schoolof Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- The Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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276
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Zilberman JM, Cerezo GH, Del Sueldo M, Fernandez‐Pérez C, Martell‐Claros N, Vicario A. Association Between Hypertension, Menopause, and Cognition in Women. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich) 2015; 17:970-6. [PMID: 26252810 PMCID: PMC8031519 DOI: 10.1111/jch.12643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Revised: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the cognitive state in women and its relation to menopause and hypertension (HTN). The authors included 1034 women aged 47.13±15.71 years. The prevalence of HTN was 47.1%, with 67.8% of patients treated and 48.6% controlled. Cognitive impairment was higher among hypertensive menopausal (mini-Boston Naming Test: 7.4±3.1 vs 8.5±2.4, P<.001; Clock-Drawing Test: 5.2±2 vs 5.6±1.6, P<.01). Using logistic regression adjusted by age and education level, statistical differences were found in the results from the mini-Boston Naming Test between menopausal hypertensive vs menopausal normotensive women (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-2.07; P=.021), and no difference between nonmenopausal hypertensive vs menopausal normotensive women (odds ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval, 0.51-1.57; P=.697). The P interaction between both groups was significant (P=.038). The possibility of alteration in cortical functions in menopausal hypertensive woman showed a relative increment of 48% (P=.021). The association between HTN and menopause increases the possibility of compromising the semantic memory by 50%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith M. Zilberman
- Physiology Course at the School of Pharmacy and BiochemistryUniversity of Buenos Aires, IQUIMEFA‐CONICETCABAArgentina
- Departamento de Prevención CardiovascularUnidad de HipertensiónInstituto Cardiovascular de Buenos Aires (ICBA)CABAArgentina
- Servicio de CardiologíaUnidad Hipertensión Hospital General de Agudos Dr. Cosme ArgerichBuenos AiresArgentina
| | - Gustavo H. Cerezo
- Departamento de CardiologíaHospital Aeronáutico CentralBuenos AiresArgentina
- Departamento de CardiologíaUnidad Corazón y CerebroInstituto Cardiovascular de Buenos Aires (ICBA)CABAArgentina
| | - Mildren Del Sueldo
- Programa Corazón SanoMunicipalidad de Villa MariaCordoba
- División Cardiología y Prevención CardiovascularClínica de EspecialidadesVilla MaríaCórdobaArgentina
| | - Cristina Fernandez‐Pérez
- Unidad de Metodología y Epidemiología ClínicaServicio de Medicina PreventivaInstituto de Investigación SanitariaHospital Clínico San CarlosUCMMadridSpain
| | - Nieves Martell‐Claros
- Unidad de HipertensiónServicio de Medicina InternaInstituto de Investigación SanitariaHospital Clínico San CarlosUCMMadridSpain
| | - Augusto Vicario
- Departamento de CardiologíaUnidad Corazón y CerebroInstituto Cardiovascular de Buenos Aires (ICBA)CABAArgentina
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277
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Simone J, Bogue EA, Bhatti DL, Day LE, Farr NA, Grossman AM, Holmes PV. Ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel alter cognition and anxiety in rats concurrent with a decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the locus coeruleus and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in the hippocampus. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 62:265-78. [PMID: 26352480 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 08/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In the United States, more than ten million women use contraceptive hormones. Ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel have been mainstay contraceptive hormones for the last four decades. Surprisingly, there is scant information regarding their action on the central nervous system and behavior. Intact female rats received three weeks of subcutaneous ethinyl estradiol (10 or 30μg/rat/day), levonorgestrel (20 or 60μg/rat/day), a combination of both (10/20μg/rat/day and 30/60μg/rat/day), or vehicle. Subsequently, the rats were tested in three versions of the novel object recognition test to assess learning and memory, and a battery of tests for anxiety-like behavior. Serum estradiol and ovarian weights were measured. All treatment groups exhibited low endogenous 17β-estradiol levels at the time of testing. Dose-dependent effects of drug treatment manifested in both cognitive and anxiety tests. All low dose drugs decreased anxiety-like behavior and impaired performance on novel object recognition. In contrast, the high dose ethinyl estradiol increased anxiety-like behavior and improved performance in cognitive testing. In the cell molecular analyses, low doses of all drugs induced a decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA and protein in the locus coeruleus. At the same time, low doses of ethinyl estradiol and ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel increased galanin protein in this structure. Consistent with the findings above, the low dose treatments of ethinyl estradiol and combination ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA in the hippocampus. These effects of ethinyl estradiol 10μg alone and in combination with levonorgestrel 20μg suggest a diminution of norepinephrine input into the hippocampus resulting in a decline in learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Simone
- Neuroscience, Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, 150 Paul D. Coverdell Center, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Elizabeth A Bogue
- Neuroscience, Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, 150 Paul D. Coverdell Center, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Dionnet L Bhatti
- Neuroscience, Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, 150 Paul D. Coverdell Center, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Laura E Day
- Neuroscience, Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, 150 Paul D. Coverdell Center, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Nathan A Farr
- Neuroscience, Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, 150 Paul D. Coverdell Center, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Anna M Grossman
- Neuroscience, Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, 150 Paul D. Coverdell Center, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Philip V Holmes
- Neuroscience, Biomedical and Health Sciences Institute, University of Georgia, 150 Paul D. Coverdell Center, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Psychology, University of Georgia, 125 Baldwin Street, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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278
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Vahaba DM, Remage-Healey L. Brain estrogen production and the encoding of recent experience. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2015; 6:148-153. [PMID: 27453921 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2015.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The vertebrate central nervous system integrates cognition and behavior, and it also acts as both a source and target for steroid hormones like estrogens. Recent exploration of brain estrogen production in the context of learning and memory has revealed several common themes. First, across vertebrates, the enzyme that synthesizes estrogens is expressed in brain regions that are characterized by elevated neural plasticity and is also integral to the acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval of recent experiences. Second, measurement and manipulation of estrogens reveal that the period following recent sensory experience is linked to estrogenic signaling in brain circuits underlying both spatial and vocal learning. Local brain estrogen production within cognitive circuits may therefore be important for the acquisition and/or consolidation of memories, and new directions testing these ideas will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Vahaba
- Neuroscience & Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA 01003
| | - Luke Remage-Healey
- Neuroscience & Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA 01003
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279
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da Costa Estrela D, da Silva WAM, Guimarães ATB, de Oliveira Mendes B, da Silva Castro AL, da Silva Torres IL, Malafaia G. Predictive behaviors for anxiety and depression in female Wistar rats subjected to cafeteria diet and stress. Physiol Behav 2015; 151:252-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Revised: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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280
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Gabor C, Lymer J, Phan A, Choleris E. Rapid effects of the G-protein coupled oestrogen receptor (GPER) on learning and dorsal hippocampus dendritic spines in female mice. Physiol Behav 2015; 149:53-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2015] [Revised: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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281
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Gogos A, Sbisa AM, Sun J, Gibbons A, Udawela M, Dean B. A Role for Estrogen in Schizophrenia: Clinical and Preclinical Findings. Int J Endocrinol 2015; 2015:615356. [PMID: 26491441 PMCID: PMC4600562 DOI: 10.1155/2015/615356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Gender differences in schizophrenia have been extensively researched and it is being increasingly accepted that gonadal steroids are strongly attributed to this phenomenon. Of the various hormones implicated, the estrogen hypothesis has been the most widely researched one and it postulates that estrogen exerts a protective effect by buffering females against the development and severity of the illness. In this review, we comprehensively analyse studies that have investigated the effects of estrogen, in particular 17β-estradiol, in clinical, animal, and molecular research with relevance to schizophrenia. Specifically, we discuss the current evidence on estrogen dysfunction in schizophrenia patients and review the clinical findings on the use of estradiol as an adjunctive treatment in schizophrenia patients. Preclinical research that has used animal models and molecular probes to investigate estradiol's underlying protective mechanisms is also substantially discussed, with particular focus on estradiol's impact on the major neurotransmitter systems implicated in schizophrenia, namely, the dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Gogos
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Alyssa M. Sbisa
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Jeehae Sun
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
| | - Andrew Gibbons
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Madhara Udawela
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Brian Dean
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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282
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Frick KM, Kim J, Tuscher JJ, Fortress AM. Sex steroid hormones matter for learning and memory: estrogenic regulation of hippocampal function in male and female rodents. Learn Mem 2015; 22:472-93. [PMID: 26286657 PMCID: PMC4561402 DOI: 10.1101/lm.037267.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Ample evidence has demonstrated that sex steroid hormones, such as the potent estrogen 17β-estradiol (E2), affect hippocampal morphology, plasticity, and memory in male and female rodents. Yet relatively few investigators who work with male subjects consider the effects of these hormones on learning and memory. This review describes the effects of E2 on hippocampal spinogenesis, neurogenesis, physiology, and memory, with particular attention paid to the effects of E2 in male rodents. The estrogen receptors, cell-signaling pathways, and epigenetic processes necessary for E2 to enhance memory in female rodents are also discussed in detail. Finally, practical considerations for working with female rodents are described for those investigators thinking of adding females to their experimental designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, USA
| | - Jaekyoon Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, USA
| | - Jennifer J Tuscher
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, USA
| | - Ashley M Fortress
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211, USA
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283
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Rensel MA, Ellis JMS, Harvey B, Schlinger BA. Sex, estradiol, and spatial memory in a food-caching corvid. Horm Behav 2015; 75:45-54. [PMID: 26232613 PMCID: PMC4648678 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2015] [Revised: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Estrogens significantly impact spatial memory function in mammalian species. Songbirds express the estrogen synthetic enzyme aromatase at relatively high levels in the hippocampus and there is evidence from zebra finches that estrogens facilitate performance on spatial learning and/or memory tasks. It is unknown, however, whether estrogens influence hippocampal function in songbirds that naturally exhibit memory-intensive behaviors, such as cache recovery observed in many corvid species. To address this question, we examined the impact of estradiol on spatial memory in non-breeding Western scrub-jays, a species that routinely participates in food caching and retrieval in nature and in captivity. We also asked if there were sex differences in performance or responses to estradiol. Utilizing a combination of an aromatase inhibitor, fadrozole, with estradiol implants, we found that while overall cache recovery rates were unaffected by estradiol, several other indices of spatial memory, including searching efficiency and efficiency to retrieve the first item, were impaired in the presence of estradiol. In addition, males and females differed in some performance measures, although these differences appeared to be a consequence of the nature of the task as neither sex consistently out-performed the other. Overall, our data suggest that a sustained estradiol elevation in a food-caching bird impairs some, but not all, aspects of spatial memory on an innate behavioral task, at times in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A Rensel
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, The University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Jesse M S Ellis
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, The University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Brigit Harvey
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, The University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, The University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, The University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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284
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Arevalo MA, Azcoitia I, Gonzalez-Burgos I, Garcia-Segura LM. Signaling mechanisms mediating the regulation of synaptic plasticity and memory by estradiol. Horm Behav 2015; 74:19-27. [PMID: 25921586 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2014] [Revised: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and Cognition". Estradiol participates in the regulation of the function and plasticity of synaptic circuits in key cognitive brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. The mechanisms elicited by estradiol are mediated by the regulation of transcriptional activity by nuclear estrogen receptors and by intracellular signaling cascades activated by estrogen receptors associated with the plasma membrane. In addition, the mechanisms include the interaction of estradiol with the signaling of other factors involved in the regulation of cognition, such as brain derived neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor-1 and Wnt. Modifications in these signaling pathways by aging or by a long-lasting ovarian hormone deprivation after menopause may impair the enhancing effects of estradiol on synaptic plasticity and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Angeles Arevalo
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avenida Doctor Arce 37, E-28002 Madrid, Spain
| | - Iñigo Azcoitia
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense, Calle José Antonio Novais 12, Ciudad Universitaria, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Gonzalez-Burgos
- Laboratorio de Psicobiología, División de Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara, Jal. Mexico
| | - Luis M Garcia-Segura
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avenida Doctor Arce 37, E-28002 Madrid, Spain.
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285
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McCarrey AC, Resnick SM. Postmenopausal hormone therapy and cognition. Horm Behav 2015; 74:167-72. [PMID: 25935728 PMCID: PMC4573348 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2015] [Revised: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and cognition". Prior to the publication of findings from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) in 2002, estrogen-containing hormone therapy (HT) was used to prevent age-related disease, especially cardiovascular disease, and to treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and sleep disruptions. Some observational studies of HT in midlife and aging women suggested that HT might also benefit cognitive function, but randomized clinical trials have produced mixed findings in terms of health and cognitive outcomes. This review focuses on hormone effects on cognition and risk for dementia in naturally menopausal women as well as surgically induced menopause, and highlights findings from the large-scale WHI Memory Study (WHIMS) which, contrary to expectation, showed increased dementia risk and poorer cognitive outcomes in older postmenopausal women randomized to HT versus placebo. We consider the 'critical window hypothesis', which suggests that a window of opportunity may exist shortly after menopause during which estrogen treatments are most effective. In addition, we highlight emerging evidence that potential adverse effects of HT on cognition are most pronounced in women who have other health risks, such as lower global cognition or diabetes. Lastly, we point towards implications for future research and clinical treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C McCarrey
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
| | - Susan M Resnick
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
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286
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Luine
- Dept. of Psychology, Hunter College of CUNY, 695 Park Ave, New York, N.Y. 10065.
| | - Maya Frankfurt
- Department of Science Education, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, 500 Hofstra University, W-227, Hempstead, NY 11549.
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287
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Bender CM, Merriman JD, Gentry AL, Ahrendt GM, Berga SL, Brufsky AM, Casillo FE, Dailey MM, Erickson KI, Kratofil FM, McAuliffe PF, Rosenzweig MQ, Ryan CM, Sereika SM. Patterns of change in cognitive function with anastrozole therapy. Cancer 2015; 121:2627-36. [PMID: 25906766 PMCID: PMC4512875 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.29393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Revised: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the effects of the first 18 months of anastrozole therapy on cognitive function in women with breast cancer. METHODS This large, longitudinal cohort study was composed of postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer who received chemotherapy plus anastrozole (n = 114) or anastrozole alone (n = 173) and a control group (n = 110). Cognitive function was assessed before systemic therapy and 6, 12, and 18 months after therapy initiation and at comparable time points in controls. RESULTS The chemotherapy-anastrozole and anastrozole-alone groups had poorer executive function than the controls at nearly all time points (P < .0001 to P = .09). A pattern of deterioration in working memory and concentration was observed during the first 6 months of anastrozole therapy for the chemotherapy-anastrozole group (P < .0001 and P < .0009, respectively) and the anastrozole-alone group (P = .0008 and P = .0002, respectively). This was followed by improved working memory and concentration from 6 to 12 months in both groups. The anastrozole-alone group had a second decline in working memory and concentration from 12 to 18 months after the initiation of therapy (P < .0001 and P = .02, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Women with breast cancer had poorer executive functioning from the period before therapy through the entire first 18 months of therapy. A pattern of decline in working memory and concentration with initial exposure to anastrozole was observed. Women receiving anastrozole alone had a second deterioration in working memory and concentration from 12 to 18 months after therapy initiation. The longer term effects (>18 months) of anastrozole on cognitive function remain to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sarah L Berga
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Adam M Brufsky
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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288
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Frankfurt M, Luine V. The evolving role of dendritic spines and memory: Interaction(s) with estradiol. Horm Behav 2015; 74:28-36. [PMID: 25993604 PMCID: PMC4573337 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and Cognition". Memory processing is presumed to depend on synaptic plasticity, which appears to have a role in mediating the acquisition, consolidation, and retention of memory. We have studied the relationship between estrogen, recognition memory, and dendritic spine density in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex, areas critical for memory, across the lifespan in female rodents. The present paper reviews the literature on dendritic spine plasticity in mediating both short and long term memory, as well as the decreased memory that occurs with aging and Alzheimer's disease. It also addresses the role of acute and chronic estrogen treatments in these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Frankfurt
- Department of Science Education, Hofstra-North Shore LIJ School of Medicine, USA.
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289
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Beltz AM, Hampson E, Berenbaum SA. Oral contraceptives and cognition: A role for ethinyl estradiol. Horm Behav 2015; 74:209-17. [PMID: 26122296 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Revised: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and cognition". Estrogens have been seen to play a role in human cognitive abilities, but questions remain about the cognitive impact of ethinyl estradiol, which is contained in many oral contraceptives (OCs). Inconsistencies in past studies likely reflect small samples and heterogeneous groups of OC users. The aims of the present work were to examine OC effects on sex-typed spatial and verbal abilities by (a) comparing mental rotations and expressional fluency in normally-cycling (NC) women and men to OC users considered as a heterogeneous group and then to homogeneous groups of OC users created by classifying pills according to their active constituents, and (b) determining the relation between synthetic hormone doses in OCs and mental rotations and expressional fluency. Participants were 136 men, 93 NC women, and 148 OC users, including homogeneous monophasic (n = 55) and triphasic (n = 43) OC groups, aged 18 to 30 years. Significant effects of OC use were seen in homogeneous group comparisons but not when OC users were considered as a heterogeneous group. On mental rotations, men outperformed women, and monophasic OC users outperformed NC women. The latter difference may be attributable to estradiol, as ethinyl estradiol was inversely related to spatial ability among OC users and was lower in monophasic than in triphasic users. On expressional fluency, NC women and monophasic OC users outperformed men, and monophasic users outperformed triphasic users. Thus, results show the importance of ethinyl estradiol and of considering pill constituents when studying the cognitive effects of OCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriene M Beltz
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Hampson
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C2, Canada.
| | - Sheri A Berenbaum
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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290
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Lacreuse A, Mong JA, Hara Y. Neurocognitive effects of estrogens across the adult lifespan in nonhuman primates: State of knowledge and new perspectives. Horm Behav 2015; 74:157-66. [PMID: 25762288 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2015] [Revised: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and cognition". This review discusses the unique contribution of nonhuman primate research to our understanding of the neurocognitive effects of estrogens throughout the adult lifespan in females. Mounting evidence indicates that estrogens affect many aspects of hippocampal, prefrontal and cholinergic function in the primate brain and the underlying mechanisms are beginning to be elucidated. In addition, estrogens may also influence cognitive function indirectly, via the modulation of other systems that impact cognition. We will focus on the effects of estrogens on sleep and emphasize the need for primate models to better understand these complex interactions. Continued research with nonhuman primates is essential for the development of therapies that are optimal for the maintenance of women's cognitive health throughout the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnès Lacreuse
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, MA, USA.
| | - Jessica A Mong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yuko Hara
- Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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291
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Shum C, Macedo SC, Warre-Cornish K, Cocks G, Price J, Srivastava DP. Utilizing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to understand the actions of estrogens in human neurons. Horm Behav 2015; 74:228-42. [PMID: 26143621 PMCID: PMC4579404 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and Cognition". Over recent years tremendous progress has been made towards understanding the molecular and cellular mechanism by which estrogens exert enhancing effects on cognition, and how they act as a neuroprotective or neurotrophic agent in disease. Currently, much of this work has been carried out in animal models with only a limited number of studies using native human tissue or cells. Recent advances in stem cell technology now make it possible to reprogram somatic cells from humans into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which can subsequently be differentiated into neurons of specific lineages. Importantly, the reprogramming of cells allows for the generation of iPSCs that retain the genetic "makeup" of the donor. Therefore, it is possible to generate iPSC-derived neurons from patients diagnosed with specific diseases, that harbor the complex genetic background associated with the disorder. Here, we review the iPSC technology and how it's currently being used to model neural development and neurological diseases. Furthermore, we explore whether this cellular system could be used to understand the role of estrogens in human neurons, and present preliminary data in support of this. We further suggest that the use of iPSC technology offers a novel system to not only further understand estrogens' effects in human cells, but also to investigate the mechanism by which estrogens are beneficial in disease. Developing a greater understanding of these mechanisms in native human cells will also aid in the development of safer and more effective estrogen-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Shum
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Sara C Macedo
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK; Faculty of Engineering, Universidade do Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Katherine Warre-Cornish
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Graham Cocks
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Jack Price
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Deepak P Srivastava
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK.
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292
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Koebele SV, Bimonte-Nelson HA. Trajectories and phenotypes with estrogen exposures across the lifespan: What does Goldilocks have to do with it? Horm Behav 2015; 74:86-104. [PMID: 26122297 PMCID: PMC4829405 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Revised: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and cognition". Estrogens impact the organization and activation of the mammalian brain in both sexes, with sex-specific critical windows. Throughout the female lifespan estrogens activate brain substrates previously organized by estrogens, and estrogens can induce non-transient brain and behavior changes into adulthood. Therefore, from early life through the transition to reproductive senescence and beyond, estrogens are potent modulators of the brain and behavior. Organizational, reorganizational, and activational hormone events likely impact the trajectory of brain profiles during aging. A "brain profile," or quantitative brain measurement for research purposes, is typically a snapshot in time, but in life a brain profile is anything but static--it is in flux, variable, and dynamic. Akin to this, the only thing continuous and consistent about hormone exposures across a female's lifespan is that they are noncontinuous and inconsistent, building and rebuilding on past exposures to create a present brain and behavioral landscape. Thus, hormone variation is especially rich in females, and is likely the destiny for maximal responsiveness in the female brain. The magnitude and direction of estrogenic effects on the brain and its functions depend on a myriad of factors; a "Goldilocks" phenomenon exists for estrogens, whereby if the timing, dose, and regimen for an individual are just right, markedly efficacious effects present. Data indicate that exogenously-administered estrogens can bestow beneficial cognitive effects in some circumstances, especially when initiated in a window of opportunity such as the menopause transition. Could it be that the age-related reduction in efficacy of estrogens reflects the closure of a late-in-life critical window occurring around the menopause transition? Information from classic and contemporary works studying organizational/activational estrogen actions, in combination with acknowledging the tendency for maximal responsiveness to cyclicity, will elucidate ways to extend sensitivity and efficacy into post-menopause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie V Koebele
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ 85006, USA
| | - Heather A Bimonte-Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ 85006, USA.
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293
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Ervin KSJ, Mulvale E, Gallagher N, Roussel V, Choleris E. Activation of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor, but not estrogen receptor α or β, rapidly enhances social learning. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 58:51-66. [PMID: 25957002 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2014] [Revised: 04/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Social learning is a highly adaptive process by which an animal acquires information from a conspecific. While estrogens are known to modulate learning and memory, much of this research focuses on individual learning. Estrogens have been shown to enhance social learning on a long-term time scale, likely via genomic mechanisms. Estrogens have also been shown to affect individual learning on a rapid time scale through cell-signaling cascades, rather than via genomic effects, suggesting they may also rapidly influence social learning. We therefore investigated the effects of 17β-estradiol and involvement of the estrogen receptors (ERs) using the ERα agonist propyl pyrazole triol, the ERβ agonist diarylpropionitrile, and the G protein-coupled ER 1 (GPER1) agonist G1 on the social transmission of food preferences (STFP) task, within a time scale that focused on the rapid effects of estrogens. General ER activation with 17β-estradiol resulted in a modest facilitation of social learning, with mice showing a preference up to 30min of testing. Specific activation of the GPER1 also rapidly enhanced social learning, with mice showing a socially learned preference up to 2h of testing. ERα activation instead shortened the expression of a socially learned food preference, while ERβ activation had little to no effects. Thus, rapid estrogenic modulation of social learning in the STFP may be the outcome of competing action at the three main receptors. Hence, estrogens' rapid effects on social learning likely depend on the specific ERs present in brain regions recruited during social learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsy Sharice Jean Ervin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin Mulvale
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicola Gallagher
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Véronique Roussel
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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294
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Almey A, Milner TA, Brake WG. Estrogen receptors in the central nervous system and their implication for dopamine-dependent cognition in females. Horm Behav 2015; 74:125-38. [PMID: 26122294 PMCID: PMC4820286 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Revised: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and cognition". Over the past 30 years, research has demonstrated that estrogens not only are important for female reproduction, but also play a role in a diverse array of cognitive functions. Originally, estrogens were thought to have only one receptor, localized exclusively to the cytoplasm and nucleus of cells. However, it is now known that there are at least three estrogen receptors (ERs): ERα, ERβ and G-protein coupled ER1 (GPER1). In addition to being localized to nuclei, ERα and ERβ are localized to the cell membrane, and GPER1 is also observed at the cell membrane. The mechanism through which ERs are associated with the membrane remains unclear, but palmitoylation of receptors and associations between ERs and caveolin are implicated in membrane association. ERα and ERβ are mostly observed in the nucleus using light microscopy unless they are particularly abundant. However, electron microscopy has revealed that ERs are also found at the membrane in complimentary distributions in multiple brain regions, many of which are innervated by dopamine inputs and were previously thought to contain few ERs. In particular, membrane-associated ERs are observed in the prefrontal cortex, dorsal striatum, nucleus accumbens, and hippocampus, all of which are involved in learning and memory. These findings provide a mechanism for the rapid effects of estrogens in these regions. The effects of estrogens on dopamine-dependent cognition likely result from binding at both nuclear and membrane-associated ERs, so elucidating the localization of membrane-associated ERs helps provide a more complete understanding of the cognitive effects of these hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Almey
- Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology (CSBN), Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Teresa A Milner
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY USA; Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Wayne G Brake
- Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology (CSBN), Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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295
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Ervin KSJ, Lymer JM, Matta R, Clipperton-Allen AE, Kavaliers M, Choleris E. Estrogen involvement in social behavior in rodents: Rapid and long-term actions. Horm Behav 2015; 74:53-76. [PMID: 26122289 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 05/16/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue ("Estradiol and cognition"). Estrogens have repeatedly been shown to influence a wide array of social behaviors, which in rodents are predominantly olfactory-mediated. Estrogens are involved in social behavior at multiple levels of processing, from the detection and integration of socially relevant olfactory information to more complex social behaviors, including social preferences, aggression and dominance, and learning and memory for social stimuli (e.g. social recognition and social learning). Three estrogen receptors (ERs), ERα, ERβ, and the G protein-coupled ER 1 (GPER1), differently affect these behaviors. Social recognition, territorial aggression, and sexual preferences and mate choice, all requiring the integration of socially related olfactory information, seem to primarily involve ERα, with ERβ playing a lesser, modulatory role. In contrast, social learning consistently responds differently to estrogen manipulations than other social behaviors. This suggests differential ER involvement in brain regions important for specific social behaviors, such as the ventromedial and medial preoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus in social preferences and aggression, the medial amygdala and hippocampus in social recognition, and the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in social learning. While the long-term effects of ERα and ERβ on social behavior have been extensively investigated, our knowledge of the rapid, non-genomic, effects of estrogens is more limited and suggests that they may mediate some social behaviors (e.g. social learning) differently from long-term effects. Further research is required to compare ER involvement in regulating social behavior in male and female animals, and to further elucidate the roles of the more recently described G protein-coupled ERs, both the GPER1 and the Gq-mER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsy S J Ervin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer M Lymer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard Matta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Martin Kavaliers
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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296
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Hojo Y, Munetomo A, Mukai H, Ikeda M, Sato R, Hatanaka Y, Murakami G, Komatsuzaki Y, Kimoto T, Kawato S. Estradiol rapidly modulates spinogenesis in hippocampal dentate gyrus: Involvement of kinase networks. Horm Behav 2015; 74:149-56. [PMID: 26122288 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2015] [Revised: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and cognition". Estradiol (E2) is locally synthesized within the hippocampus and the gonads. Rapid modulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity by E2 is essential for synaptic regulation. The molecular mechanisms of modulation through the synaptic estrogen receptor (ER) and its downstream signaling, however, are largely unknown in the dentate gyrus (DG). We investigated the E2-induced modulation of dendritic spines in male adult rat hippocampal slices by imaging Lucifer Yellow-injected DG granule cells. Treatments with 1 nM E2 increased the density of spines by approximately 1.4-fold within 2h. Spine head diameter analysis showed that the density of middle-head spines (0.4-0.5 μm) was significantly increased. The E2-induced spine density increase was suppressed by blocking Erk MAPK, PKA, PKC and LIMK. These suppressive effects by kinase inhibitors are not non-specific ones because the GSK-3β antagonist did not inhibit E2-induced spine increase. The ER antagonist ICI 182,780 also blocked the E2-induced spine increase. Taken together, these results suggest that E2 rapidly increases the density of spines through kinase networks that are driven by synaptic ER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasushi Hojo
- Department of Biophysics and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan; Bioinformatics Project of Japan Science and Technology Agency, University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Arisa Munetomo
- Department of Biophysics and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Hideo Mukai
- Department of Biophysics and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan; Bioinformatics Project of Japan Science and Technology Agency, University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Muneki Ikeda
- Department of Biophysics and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Rei Sato
- Department of Biophysics and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Yusuke Hatanaka
- Department of Biophysics and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Gen Murakami
- Department of Biophysics and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan; Bioinformatics Project of Japan Science and Technology Agency, University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshimasa Komatsuzaki
- Department of Biophysics and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Kimoto
- Department of Biophysics and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Suguru Kawato
- Department of Biophysics and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan; Bioinformatics Project of Japan Science and Technology Agency, University of Tokyo, Japan; Department of Urology, Juntendo University, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8431, Japan.
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297
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Frick KM. Molecular mechanisms underlying the memory-enhancing effects of estradiol. Horm Behav 2015; 74:4-18. [PMID: 25960081 PMCID: PMC4573242 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2015] [Revised: 04/25/2015] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and cognition". Since the publication of the 1998 special issue of Hormones and Behavior on estrogens and cognition, substantial progress has been made towards understanding the molecular mechanisms through which 17β-estradiol (E2) regulates hippocampal plasticity and memory. Recent research has demonstrated that rapid effects of E2 on hippocampal cell signaling, epigenetic processes, and local protein synthesis are necessary for E2 to facilitate the consolidation of object recognition and spatial memories in ovariectomized female rodents. These effects appear to be mediated by non-classical actions of the intracellular estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ, and possibly by membrane-bound ERs such as the G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER). New findings also suggest a key role of hippocampally-synthesized E2 in regulating hippocampal memory formation. The present review discusses these findings in detail and suggests avenues for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2441 E. Hartford Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA.
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298
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Bailey DJ, Saldanha CJ. The importance of neural aromatization in the acquisition, recall, and integration of song and spatial memories in passerines. Horm Behav 2015; 74:116-24. [PMID: 26122300 PMCID: PMC9366902 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and cognition". In addition to their well-studied and crucial effects on brain development and aging, an increasing number of investigations across vertebrate species indicate that estrogens like 17β-estradiol (E2) have pronounced and rapid effects on cognitive function. The incidence and regulation of the E2-synthesizing enzyme aromatase at the synapse in regions of the brain responsible for learning, memory, social communication and other complex cognitive processes suggest that local E2 production and action affect the acute and chronic activity of individual neurons and circuits. Songbirds in particular are excellent models for the study of this "synaptocrine" hormone provision given that aromatase is abundantly expressed in neuronal soma, dendrites, and at the synapse across many brain regions in both sexes. Additionally, songbirds readily acquire and recall memories in laboratory settings, and their stereotyped behaviors may be manipulated and measured with relative ease. This leads to a rather unparalleled advantage in the use of these animals in studies of the role of neural aromatization in cognition. In this review we describe the results of a number of experiments in songbird species with a focus on the influence of synaptic E2 provision on two cognitive processes: auditory discrimination reliant on the caudomedial nidopallium (NCM), a telencephalic region likely homologous to the auditory cortex in mammals, and spatial memory dependent on the hippocampus. Data from these studies are providing evidence that the local and acute provision of E2 modulates the hormonal, electrical, and cognitive outputs of the vertebrate brain and aids in memory acquisition, retention, and perhaps the confluence of memory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Bailey
- Biology, St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI 54115, United States.
| | - Colin J Saldanha
- Department of Biology, American University, Washington, DC 20016, United States; Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC 20016, United States.
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299
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Daniel JM, Witty CF, Rodgers SP. Long-term consequences of estrogens administered in midlife on female cognitive aging. Horm Behav 2015; 74:77-85. [PMID: 25917862 PMCID: PMC4573273 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2015] [Revised: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 04/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and cognition". Many of the biochemical, structural, and functional changes that occur as the female brain ages are influenced by changes in levels of estrogens. Administration of estrogens begun during a critical window near menopause is hypothesized to prevent or delay age-associated cognitive decline. However, due to potential health risks women often limit use of estrogen therapy to a few years to treat menopausal symptoms. The long-term consequences for the brain of short-term use of estrogens are unknown. Interestingly, there are preliminary data to suggest that short-term use of estrogens during the menopausal transition may afford long-term cognitive benefits to women as they age. Thus, there is the intriguing possibility that short-term estrogen therapy may provide lasting benefits to the brain and cognition. The focus of the current review is an examination of the long-term impact for cognition of midlife use of estrogens. We review data from our lab and others indicating that the ability of midlife estrogens to impact estrogen receptors in the hippocampus may contribute to its ability to exert lasting impacts on cognition in aging females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill M Daniel
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University New Orleans, LA 70118, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Tulane University New Orleans, LA 70118, USA.
| | - Christine F Witty
- Program in Neuroscience, Tulane University New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
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300
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