The Cerebral Cortex as a Target of Estrogen

适当发展和维护连接 神经元的新陈代谢对所有人来说都是必要的 神经系统的功能，包括 学习和记忆以及其他认知能力。 知识 在成熟神经元中调节这些过程的物质 在发展过程中是有限的。 但是， 与发展、生存和 大脑皮层神经元的再生 参与认知功能的是类固醇激素，雌二醇， 以及局部合成的促进生长和存活的 神经生长因子（NGF）。 没错，杜伦-阿勒兰德博士 已经证明大脑皮层的神经元含有 雌激素和神经生长因子的受体。 她现在将调查 与共表达雌激素的发展历史平行， 和神经生长因子受体系统在体内，并分析细胞和 体外雌激素/神经生长因子相互作用的分子后果。 这项工作的结果将提供对这些因素的深入了解 这可能对大脑区域的发育很重要 认知功能的基础 此外，基本 从这项工作中获得的信息可能最终提供一个 临床研究的生物学原理 治疗方法包括雌激素和神经生长因子， 阿尔茨海默病及相关认知障碍。

Appropriate development and maintenance of the connections and metabolism of neurons are necessary requisites to all functions of the nervous system, including the processes of learning and memory and other cognitive abilities. Knowledge of the substances that regulate these processes in mature neurons and during development is limited. However, two classes that have been implicated in the development, survival, and regeneration of neurons in cerebral cortex, the brain region involved cognitive functions, are the steroid hormone, estradiol, and the locally-synthesized growth- and survival-promoting protein, nerve growth factor (NGF). Indeed, Dr. Toran-Allerand has demonstrated that neurons of cerebral cortex contain receptors for both estrogen and NGF. She will now investigate in parallel the developmental history of the co-expressed estrogen and NGF receptor systems in vivo and analyze the cellular and molecular consequences of estrogen/NGF interactions in vitro. The results of this work will provide insights into those factors that may be of importance to the development of brain regions which underlie cognitive functions. Moreover, the basic information gained from this work may ultimately provide a biological rationale for clinical investigations into possible therapeutic approaches involving both estrogen and NGF in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders of cognition.