Abstract
Over the last decades estrogen has been recognized to be involved in normal brain function due to its neurothrophic and neuroprotective effects. Estrogen is intimately associated with neuronal survival, mitochondrial function, neuroinflammation and cognition through genomic as well as non-genomic pathways. It is also known that the neuroprotective actions mediated by estrogens are interlinked with the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling pathway. This review is mainly devoted to explore the physiological and pathophysiological effects of estrogen and its signaling pathways in the brain. The molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are also debated. Finally, we discuss the potential neuroprotection afforded by estrogens in Alzheimers disease pathophysiology focusing in the “window of opportunity” for the initiation of estrogen therapy as a critical factor in the fight against neurodegeneration.
Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, estrogen, IGF-1, mitochondria, neuroinflammation, neuroprotection
Current Aging Science
Title: Effects of Estrogen in the Brain: Is it a Neuroprotective Agent in Alzheimers Disease?
Volume: 3 Issue: 2
Author(s): Sonia C. Correia, Renato X. Santos, Susana Cardoso, Cristina Carvalho, Maria S. Santos, Catarina R. Oliveira and Paula I. Moreira
Affiliation:
Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, estrogen, IGF-1, mitochondria, neuroinflammation, neuroprotection
Abstract: Over the last decades estrogen has been recognized to be involved in normal brain function due to its neurothrophic and neuroprotective effects. Estrogen is intimately associated with neuronal survival, mitochondrial function, neuroinflammation and cognition through genomic as well as non-genomic pathways. It is also known that the neuroprotective actions mediated by estrogens are interlinked with the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling pathway. This review is mainly devoted to explore the physiological and pathophysiological effects of estrogen and its signaling pathways in the brain. The molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are also debated. Finally, we discuss the potential neuroprotection afforded by estrogens in Alzheimers disease pathophysiology focusing in the “window of opportunity” for the initiation of estrogen therapy as a critical factor in the fight against neurodegeneration.
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Cite this article as:
C. Correia Sonia, X. Santos Renato, Cardoso Susana, Carvalho Cristina, S. Santos Maria, R. Oliveira Catarina and I. Moreira Paula, Effects of Estrogen in the Brain: Is it a Neuroprotective Agent in Alzheimers Disease?, Current Aging Science 2010; 3 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874609811003020113
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874609811003020113 |
Print ISSN 1874-6098 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1874-6128 |
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