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Berndt U, Leplow B, Schoenfeld R, Lantzsch T, Grosse R, Thomssen C. Memory and Spatial Cognition in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy. Breast Care (Basel) 2016; 11:240-246. [PMID: 27721710 DOI: 10.1159/000446901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It is generally accepted that estrogens play a protective role in cognitive function. Therefore, it can be expected that subtotal estrogen deprivation following aromatase inhibition will alter cognitive performance. METHODS In a cross-sectional study we investigated 80 postmenopausal women with breast cancer. Memory and spatial cognition were compared across 4 treatment groups: tamoxifen only (TAM, n = 22), aromatase inhibitor only (AI, n = 22), TAM followed by AI ('SWITCH group', n = 15), and patients with local therapy (LT) only (surgery and radiation, n = 21). Duration of the 2 endocrine monotherapy arms prior to the assessment ranged from 1 to 3 years. The 'SWITCH group' received 2-3 years TAM followed by at least 1 year and at most 3 years of AI. Memory and spatial cognition were investigated as planned comparisons. Investigations of processing speed, attention, executive function, visuoconstruction and self-perception of memory were exploratory. RESULTS With regard to general memory, AI patients performed significantly worse than the LT group (p = 0.013). Significant differences in verbal memory did not remain significant after p-value correction for multiple testing. We found no significant differences concerning spatial cognition between the groups. CONCLUSION AI treatment alone significantly impairs general memory compared to the LT group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Berndt
- Department of Gynecology, Martin Luther University, Halle, Germany, Halle, Germany
| | - Bernd Leplow
- Institute of Psychology, Martin Luther University, Halle, Germany, Halle, Germany
| | - Robby Schoenfeld
- Institute of Psychology, Martin Luther University, Halle, Germany, Halle, Germany
| | | | - Regina Grosse
- Department of Gynecology, Martin Luther University, Halle, Germany, Halle, Germany
| | - Christoph Thomssen
- Department of Gynecology, Martin Luther University, Halle, Germany, Halle, Germany
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252
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Valenza M, Chen JY, Di Paolo E, Ruozi B, Belletti D, Ferrari Bardile C, Leoni V, Caccia C, Brilli E, Di Donato S, Boido MM, Vercelli A, Vandelli MA, Forni F, Cepeda C, Levine MS, Tosi G, Cattaneo E. Cholesterol-loaded nanoparticles ameliorate synaptic and cognitive function in Huntington's disease mice. EMBO Mol Med 2016; 7:1547-64. [PMID: 26589247 PMCID: PMC4693506 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201505413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain cholesterol biosynthesis and cholesterol levels are reduced in mouse models of Huntington's disease (HD), suggesting that locally synthesized, newly formed cholesterol is less available to neurons. This may be detrimental for neuronal function, especially given that locally synthesized cholesterol is implicated in synapse integrity and remodeling. Here, we used biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) modified with glycopeptides (g7) and loaded with cholesterol (g7‐NPs‐Chol), which per se is not blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeable, to obtain high‐rate cholesterol delivery into the brain after intraperitoneal injection in HD mice. We report that g7‐NPs, in contrast to unmodified NPs, efficiently crossed the BBB and localized in glial and neuronal cells in different brain regions. We also found that repeated systemic delivery of g7‐NPs‐Chol rescued synaptic and cognitive dysfunction and partially improved global activity in HD mice. These results demonstrate that cholesterol supplementation to the HD brain reverses functional alterations associated with HD and highlight the potential of this new drug‐administration route to the diseased brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Valenza
- Department of BioSciences, Centre for Stem Cell Research Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Jane Y Chen
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience Brain Research Institute David Geffen School of Medicine University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Eleonora Di Paolo
- Department of BioSciences, Centre for Stem Cell Research Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Ruozi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Daniela Belletti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Costanza Ferrari Bardile
- Department of BioSciences, Centre for Stem Cell Research Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Valerio Leoni
- Neurological Institute C. Besta, Milan, Italy Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese, Italy
| | | | - Elisa Brilli
- Department of BioSciences, Centre for Stem Cell Research Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Marina M Boido
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi Neuroscience Institute of Turin, Orbassano Turin, Italy
| | - Alessandro Vercelli
- Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi Neuroscience Institute of Turin, Orbassano Turin, Italy
| | - Maria A Vandelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Flavio Forni
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience Brain Research Institute David Geffen School of Medicine University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Levine
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience Brain Research Institute David Geffen School of Medicine University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Giovanni Tosi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Elena Cattaneo
- Department of BioSciences, Centre for Stem Cell Research Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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253
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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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254
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Saito K, He Y, Yan X, Yang Y, Wang C, Xu P, Hinton AO, Shu G, Yu L, Tong Q, Xu Y. Visualizing estrogen receptor-α-expressing neurons using a new ERα-ZsGreen reporter mouse line. Metabolism 2016; 65:522-32. [PMID: 26975544 PMCID: PMC4794642 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2015.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A variety of biological functions of estrogens, including regulation of energy metabolism, are mediated by neurons expressing estrogen receptor-α (ERα) in the brain. However, complex intracellular processes in these ERα-expressing neurons are difficult to unravel, due to the lack of strategy to visualize ERα-expressing neurons, especially in unfixed brain tissues. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Here we generated a novel ERα-ZsGreen reporter mouse line in which expression of a green fluorescent reporter protein, ZsGreen, is driven by a 241kb ERα gene promoter. We validated that ZsGreen is highly colocalized with endogenous ERα in the brain. Native ZsGreen signals were visualized in unfixed brain tissue, and were used to assist single cell collection and electrophysiological recordings. Finally, we demonstrated that this ERα-ZsGreen mouse allele can be used in combination with other genetic reporter alleles to allow experiments in highly selective neural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Saito
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Yanlin He
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Xiaofeng Yan
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Yongjie Yang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Chunmei Wang
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Pingwen Xu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Antentor Othrell Hinton
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Gang Shu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Likai Yu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Qingchun Tong
- Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Yong Xu
- Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030.
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255
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Chronic (3-Weeks) Treatment of Estrogen (17β-Estradiol) Enhances Working and Reference Memory in Ovariectomized Rats: Role of Acetylcholine. Neurochem Res 2016; 41:1468-74. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-016-1858-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Revised: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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256
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Hara Y, Yuk F, Puri R, Janssen WGM, Rapp PR, Morrison JH. Estrogen Restores Multisynaptic Boutons in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex while Promoting Working Memory in Aged Rhesus Monkeys. J Neurosci 2016; 36:901-10. [PMID: 26791219 PMCID: PMC4719022 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3480-13.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2013] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans and nonhuman primates are vulnerable to age- and menopause- related decline in working memory, a cognitive function reliant on area 46 of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). We showed previously that presynaptic mitochondrial number and morphology in monkey dlPFC neurons correlate with working memory performance. The current study tested the hypothesis that the types of synaptic connections these boutons form are altered with aging and menopause in rhesus monkeys and that these metrics may be coupled with mitochondrial measures and working memory. Using serial section electron microscopy, we examined the frequencies and characteristics of nonsynaptic, single-synaptic, and multisynaptic boutons (MSBs) in the dlPFC. In contrast to our previous observations in the monkey hippocampal dentate gyrus, where MSBs comprised ∼40% of boutons, the vast majority of dlPFC boutons were single-synaptic, whereas MSBs constituted a mere 10%. The frequency of MSBs was not altered by normal aging, but decreased by over 50% with surgical menopause induced by ovariectomy in aged monkeys. Cyclic estradiol treatment in aged ovariectomized animals restored MSB frequencies to levels comparable to young and aged premenopausal monkeys. Notably, the frequency of MSBs positively correlated with working memory scores, as measured by the average accuracy on the delayed response (DR) test. Furthermore, MSB incidence positively correlated with the number of healthy straight mitochondria in dlPFC boutons and inversely correlated with the number of pathological donut-shaped mitochondria. Together, our data suggest that MSBs are coupled to cognitive function and mitochondrial health and are sensitive to estrogen. Significance statement: Many aged menopausal individuals experience deficits in working memory, an executive function reliant on recurrent firing of prefrontal cortex (PFC) neurons. However, little is known about the organization of presynaptic inputs to these neurons and how they may be altered with aging and menopause. Multisynaptic boutons (MSBs) were of particular interest, because they form multiple synapses and can enhance coupling between presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons. We found that higher MSB frequency correlated with better working memory performance in rhesus monkeys. Additionally, aged surgically menopausal monkeys experienced a 50% loss of MSBs that was restored with cyclic estradiol treatment. Together, our findings suggest that hormone replacement therapy benefits cognitive aging, in part by retaining complex synaptic organizations in the PFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Hara
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Kastor Neurobiology of Aging Laboratories, Friedman Brain Institute
| | - Frank Yuk
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Kastor Neurobiology of Aging Laboratories, Friedman Brain Institute
| | - Rishi Puri
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Kastor Neurobiology of Aging Laboratories, Friedman Brain Institute
| | - William G M Janssen
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Kastor Neurobiology of Aging Laboratories, Friedman Brain Institute
| | - Peter R Rapp
- National Institute on Aging, Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Baltimore, Maryland 21224
| | - John H Morrison
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Kastor Neurobiology of Aging Laboratories, Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California 95616, and Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616
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257
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McEwen BS. Stress-induced remodeling of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons. Brain Res 2015; 1645:50-4. [PMID: 26740399 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.12.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of steroid hormone receptors in brain regions that mediate virtually every aspect of brain function has broadened the definition of 'neuroendocrinology' to include the reciprocal communication between the brain and the body via hormonal and neural pathways. The brain is the central organ of stress and adaptation to stress because it perceives and determines what is threatening, as well as determining the behavioral and physiological responses to the stressor. The adult and developing brain possess remarkable structural and functional plasticity in response to stress, including neurogenesis leading to neuronal replacement, dendritic remodeling, and synapse turnover. Stress causes an imbalance of neural circuitry subserving cognition, decision-making, anxiety and mood that can alter expression of those behaviors and behavioral states. The two Brain Research papers noted in this review played an important role in triggering these advances. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI:50th Anniversary Issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce S McEwen
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, United States.
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258
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A neuroprogenitor cell-based mechanism for exercise-enhanced cognition after reproductive senescence? Menopause 2015; 23:5-6. [PMID: 26671192 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000000577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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259
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Sengoku T, Murray KM, Wilson ME. Neonatal hyperoxia induces alterations in neurotrophin gene expression. Int J Dev Neurosci 2015; 48:31-7. [PMID: 26592967 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Revised: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Each year in the United States, nearly 500,000 infants a year are born prematurely. Babies born before 35 weeks gestation are often placed on ventilators and/or given supplemental oxygen. This increase in oxygen, while critical for survival, can cause long-term damage to lungs, retinas and brains. In particular, hyperoxia causes apoptosis in neurons and alters glial activity. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) are members of the neurotrophin family of proteins that function to promote the growth, differentiation and development of the nervous system. We hypothesized that hyperoxia can alter the regulation of these genes and by doing so adversely affect the development of the brain. We predicted that mice exposed to hyperoxic conditions would have differences in BDNF and GDNF mRNA expression and relative level of methylated promoter regions coinciding with differences in the relative levels of DNMT1 and DNMT3a mRNA expression. To test this hypothesis, newborn C57Bl/6 mice and their littermates were placed in hyperoxic or normoxic conditions from postnatal day 7 to 12. There were significant decreases in BDNF mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex following hyperoxia, but a significant increase in the isocortex. GDNF mRNA expression was significantly increased in both the isocortex and prefrontal cortex following hyperoxia. DNMT1 mRNA expression was significantly decreased in the isocortex but significantly increased in the prefrontal following hyperoxia. Together these data suggest that short-term exposure to hyperoxic conditions can affect the regulation and expression of BDNF and GDNF potentially leading to alterations in neural development.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Sengoku
- University of Kentucky, Department of Physiology, 800 Rose Street, MS 508, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - K M Murray
- University of Kentucky, Department of Physiology, 800 Rose Street, MS 508, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - M E Wilson
- University of Kentucky, Department of Physiology, 800 Rose Street, MS 508, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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260
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Hansberg-Pastor V, González-Arenas A, Piña-Medina AG, Camacho-Arroyo I. Sex Hormones Regulate Cytoskeletal Proteins Involved in Brain Plasticity. Front Psychiatry 2015; 6:165. [PMID: 26635640 PMCID: PMC4653291 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In the brain of female mammals, including humans, a number of physiological and behavioral changes occur as a result of sex hormone exposure. Estradiol and progesterone regulate several brain functions, including learning and memory. Sex hormones contribute to shape the central nervous system by modulating the formation and turnover of the interconnections between neurons as well as controlling the function of glial cells. The dynamics of neuron and glial cells morphology depends on the cytoskeleton and its associated proteins. Cytoskeletal proteins are necessary to form neuronal dendrites and dendritic spines, as well as to regulate the diverse functions in astrocytes. The expression pattern of proteins, such as actin, microtubule-associated protein 2, Tau, and glial fibrillary acidic protein, changes in a tissue-specific manner in the brain, particularly when variations in sex hormone levels occur during the estrous or menstrual cycles or pregnancy. Here, we review the changes in structure and organization of neurons and glial cells that require the participation of cytoskeletal proteins whose expression and activity are regulated by estradiol and progesterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Hansberg-Pastor
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City , Mexico
| | - Aliesha González-Arenas
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City , Mexico
| | - Ana Gabriela Piña-Medina
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City , Mexico
| | - Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología-Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Mexico City , Mexico
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