Brain steroidogenesis: emerging therapeutic strategies to prevent neurodegeneration.
Decreasing levels of gonadal steroids with aging are associated to an increase in cognitive, neurological and psychiatric disturbances. Estradiol is neuroprotective in animal models of neurodegeneration. However, the effects of hormonal replacement therapy on brain function in postmenopausal women are controversial. A possible alternative to hormonal replacement therapy is to increase local brain steroidogenesis, since experimental studies indicate that local estrogen formation in the brain is neuroprotective.
Azcoitia
I
I
Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
Sierra
A
A
Veiga
S
S
Garcia-Segura
L M
LM
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D013256:Steroids