Estrogen Actions in the Brain

doi:10.1126/stke.2002.138.pe29

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Sci. STKE, 25 June 2002
Vol. 2002, Issue 138, p. pe29
[DOI: 10.1126/stke.2002.138.pe29]

PERSPECTIVES

Estrogen Actions in the Brain

Ling Wang¹, Sandra Andersson¹, Margaret Warner², and Jan-Åke Gustafsson¹^,2^*

¹Department of Medical Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, NOVUM, S-141 86 Huddinge, Sweden.
²Department of Biosciences, Karolinska Institute, NOVUM, S-141 86 Huddinge, Sweden.

Summary: Understanding of the mechanisms of estrogen action in the brain has always been poor. Neurons in several brain regions do not harbor estrogen receptor ${alpha}$ (ER ${alpha}$ ) and yet are estrogen responsive. It was formerly thought that these responses represented indirect actions of estrogen. It is now evident that these neurons express ERß and that estrogen receptors have diverse actions in the central nervous system. By clear delineation of the cellular expression and function of the two estrogen receptors, it is likely that, in the future, selective ER ${alpha}$ and ERß ligands will be developed and used for treatment of depression and behavioral disorders and may be useful in preventing degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: jan-ake.gustafsson{at}mednut.ki.se

Citation: L. Wang, S. Andersson, M. Warner, J.-A. Gustafsson, Estrogen Actions in the Brain. Sci. STKE 2002, pe29 (2002).

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