Role of Androgens in the Neuroendocrine Stress Response

罗伯特·汉达 动物对环境中的应激的基本反应是应激反应神经内分泌系统的快速激活。一种这样的反应是下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴的激活。性别差异存在的HPA轴的反应，以压力与男性的反应不如女性强劲。在两种性别中，HPA激活的一个后果是抑制生殖功能。这些研究人员假设，在男性中，生殖激素睾酮抑制HPA轴，以抑制HPA轴分泌产物对生殖的有害影响。睾酮抑制HPA活性的一种机制是通过与大脑中的雄激素受体结合。该奖项支持的这项研究将描述雄激素对大脑中细胞活性的应激诱导指标的影响，确定大脑中雄激素影响HPA活性的部位，并确定雄激素是否可以通过调节糖皮质激素受体功能发挥作用。这些研究的结果将确定雄激素可以抑制神经内分泌应激反应的机制，并帮助我们了解应激对男性和女性生殖功能的影响。

IBN-9408890 Robert Handa A basic response of animals to stress in their environment is the rapid activation of the stress-responsive neuroendocrine systems. One such response is the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Sex differences exist in the response of the HPA axis to stress with males responding less robustly than females. In both sexes, one consequence of HPA activation is an inhibition of reproductive function. These investigators have hypothesized that in males the reproductive hormone, testosterone, inhibits the HPA axis to suppress the deleterious effects that secretory products of the HPA axis have on reproduction. One mechanism by which testosterone inhibits HPA activity is by binding to androgen receptors in the brain. This research supported by this award will characterize the effects of androgen on stress-inducible indicators of cell activity in the brain, determine the sites within the brain where androgen acts to influence HPA activity, and to determine if androgen can act by modulating glucocorticoid receptor function. The results of these studies will define the mechanisms whereby androgen can act to inhibit neuroendocrine responses to stress and help us understand the effects of stress on reproductive function in both males and females.