Estrogen Synthesis in Brain and its Functional Role

类固醇激素在脊椎动物的发育过程和整个生命周期中深刻地影响中枢神经系统的结构和功能。虽然睾酮和雌二醇的主要来源来自性腺，但大脑也会产生类固醇。芳香酶负责雄激素转化为雌激素的代谢是在特定的目标神经元在离散的脑区域定位。由于在睾丸或肾上腺中没有发现芳香化酶，施林格博士将确定这些男性体内循环雌激素的主要来源是否来自大脑中雄激素的芳香化。这具有重要的理论意义，因为大脑可能不仅是类固醇激素的靶点，也是循环类固醇的主要来源。施林格博士还将研究脑雌激素合成在调节大脑发育和功能的性别差异中的作用。这些研究将对激素-大脑相互作用的机制产生新的见解。增加我们对正常神经内分泌事件的基本过程的了解，将有助于更好地理解由于特定类固醇激素暴露不足和/或过量而导致的出生缺陷。

Steroid hormones profoundly influence the structure and function of the central nervous system during development and throughout the vertebrates' lifespan. While the major source of testosterone and estradiol comes from the gonads, the brain also produces steroids. Aromatase enzymes responsible for the metabolism of androgen into estrogen are localized within specific target neurons in discrete brain regions. Since aromatase is not found in testes or adrenals, Dr. Schlinger will determine whether the major source of circulating estrogen in these males is derived from aromatization of androgens in the brain. This has important theoretical ramifications because the brain may not only be a target of steroid hormones but also a major source of a circulating steroid. Dr. Schlinger will also examine the role of brain estrogen synthesis in the regulation of sex differences in brain development and function. These studies will lead to new insights in the mechanisms underlying hormone- brain interactions. Increasing our knowledge about the basic processes underlying normal neuroendocrine events will contribute towards a better understanding of birth defects that result from insufficient and/or excessive exposure to a particular steroid hormone.