title: Rapid control of male typical behaviors by brain-derived estrogens.
abstract: Beside their genomic mode of action, estrogens also activate a variety of cellular signaling pathways through non-genomic mechanisms. Until recently, little was known regarding the functional significance of such actions in males and the mechanisms that control local estrogen concentration with a spatial and time resolution compatible with these non-genomic actions had rarely been examined. Here, we review evidence that estrogens rapidly modulate a variety of behaviors in male vertebrates. Then, we present in vitro work supporting the existence of a control mechanism of local brain estrogen synthesis by aromatase along with in vivo evidence that rapid changes in aromatase activity also occur in a region-specific manner in response to changes in the social or environmental context. Finally, we suggest that the brain estrogen provision may also play a significant role in females. Together these data bolster the hypothesis that brain-derived estrogens should be considered as neuromodulators.
authors.affiliation: GIGA Neurosciences, Research Group in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. charlotte.cornil@ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: Charlotte A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Cornil
authors.forename: Gregory F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balthazart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D001141:Aromatase