The brain-pituitary-ovarian axis (simplified). 4A, delta-4-androstenedione; ACh, acetylcholine; DA, dopamine; E1, estrone; E2, estradiol; FSH, follicle stimulating hormone; G, ghrelin; GnRH, gonadotropin-releasing hormone; 5-HT, 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin); I, insulin; Okay, kisspeptin; L, leptin; LH, luteinizing hormone; NE, norepinephrine; P, progesterone; T, testosterone. Credit score: Hyman M. Schipper
A complete assessment printed in Mind Medication by main neuroendocrinologist Professor Hyman M. Schipper from McGill College’s Division of Neurology and Neurosurgery maps out the intensive affect of reproductive hormones on neurological well being and illness. This assessment, showing in a particular Festschrift challenge honoring Dr. Seymour Reichlin’s centennial, systematically examines how intercourse hormones have an effect on a broad spectrum of neurological situations.
The assessment particulars how intercourse hormones affect neurological operate by way of a number of mechanisms, together with direct results on nerve cells, epigenetic modifications, and the newly found mind glymphatic system. Professor Schipper’s evaluation covers an in depth vary of situations, together with:
Vascular problems corresponding to migraine (affecting as much as 60% of feminine victims throughout menstruation) and stroke
Motion problems, notably Parkinson’s illness, Wilson’s illness, and numerous types of chorea
Epilepsy, particularly its relationship with hormonal cycles
A number of sclerosis, which regularly exhibits distinct patterns throughout being pregnant
Alzheimer’s illness and its complicated relationship with hormonal components
Sleep problems, which present vital gender-based variations
Mind tumors, notably hormone-sensitive meningiomas
Neuromuscular situations like myasthenia gravis
Different situations, together with intracranial hypertension and the porphyrias
“Our understanding of how reproductive hormones impact neurological conditions has expanded dramatically,” explains Professor Schipper. “These hormones don’t just affect reproductive functions—they fundamentally influence how the nervous system develops, functions, and responds to injury or disease.”
The assessment highlights a number of key findings:
Induction of the cytochrome P450 system within the liver by numerous anti-epileptic and different neurological prescribed drugs might speed up the breakdown of circulating intercourse steroids, leading to oral contraceptive failure
Neurosteroids, that are hormone-derived molecules produced within the mind, have vital therapeutic potential
Hormonal fluctuations throughout menstruation, being pregnant, and menopause can considerably influence illness manifestation and therapy responses
Intercourse-specific approaches could also be crucial for treating many neurological situations
The analysis raises vital questions for future investigation, together with:
How do intercourse hormones work together with the mind’s waste clearance (glymphatic) system?
May focusing on neurosteroid pathways provide new therapeutic approaches?
How may hormone-based therapies be optimized for particular person sufferers?
These findings have vital implications for scientific follow, suggesting neurologists ought to routinely contemplate hormonal components when evaluating and treating sufferers.
“The key is understanding exactly how these hormones work in different contexts,” notes Professor Schipper. “This knowledge could lead to more personalized treatment approaches.”
A Festschrift tribute to Dr. Seymour Reichlin
This text seems in a particular Festschrift honoring the life and achievements of Dr. Seymour Reichlin, who celebrated his a hundredth birthday final yr. A distinguished physician-scientist, Dr. Reichlin revolutionized our understanding of neuroendocrinology and pioneered early investigations into how the immune system converses with endocrine pathways. His a long time of mentorship and analysis formed fashionable explorations in neuroimmunology, influencing a large circle of clinicians and students.
At a century of age, Dr. Reichlin stays cognitively sharp, absolutely useful, and persistently inspirational to colleagues. Because the analysis group commemorates his milestone, the article builds on his early insights, extending the sector’s appreciation of how genes and the atmosphere collectively mould our physiological responses.
“Dr. Reichlin’s mentorship during my fellowship at Tufts continues to inform my career,” displays Professor Schipper. “His visionary work on neuroendocrine interactions opened new avenues for understanding how hormones influence neurological disease.”
By weaving collectively Dr. Reichlin’s visionary legacy with right now’s technological developments, this Festschrift article underscores a outstanding continuum of innovation. From the earliest hormone assays to right now’s genomic profiling instruments, scientific progress repeatedly returns to the core idea that biology is neither solely genetic nor purely environmental however a dynamic mixture of each.
Extra data:
Intercourse hormones and illnesses of the nervous system, Mind Medication (2025). DOI: 10.61373/bm025w.0008
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Genomic Press
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Mapping complicated interactions between intercourse hormones and neurological well being (2025, February 18)
retrieved 18 February 2025
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