SYNAPTIC REMODELING · Effect of Androgen hormones on hippocampal CA1 area synaptic remodelling

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Project objective

Estrogens have a well-characterized central beneficial effect in women on cognition, memory and mood, which is compromised in the postmenopausal period due to the failure of ovarian estrogen synthesis. Androgen production from gonadal and adrenal sources in both sexes also declines substantially with age. Since androgens have been demonstrated to facilitate cognitive functions and attenuate the risks for developing neurodegenerative disorders, maintenance of androgen levels may be at least as important as t hat of estrogens. Despite these beneficial effects, central action of androgens has, to date, received only limited attention. Research in the third country host laboratory has demonstrated that androgens can potently influence hippocampal synaptic remodelling, an action that was observed in both sexes.This synaptoplasticity mechanism is postulated to be the morphological basis of the cognition-enhancing effect of both estrogens and androgens in the hippocampus. In the outgoing period of the fellowship, the fellow will be involved in studies that aim to clarify the mechanisms and behavioural consequences of androgen-induced hippocampal synaptic remodelling, using an innovative interdisciplinary behavioural and morphological approach. The expected results may have important health and therapy-related implications in the fields of neuropsychiatry and endocrinology, particularly hormone replacement therapy. During these studies, the fellow will receive extensive training in the fields of steroid endocrinology, neuroanatomy, stereotaxic surgery, electron microscopic stereology, and behavioural neuroscience. Establishing this innovative method in the EU host institution in the returning phase will serve the best interests of the European Research Area, since this kind of integrated endocrine, behavioural and morphological expertise is currently not available in Europe.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTERCoordinatorCountry levelHungary
• YALE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINECity levelUnknown Region

Links

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