Honing in on hormone-sensitive neural targets for therapeutic intervention: mission impossible?

Written by Holschbach MA, Borrow AP & Handa RJ

Stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety, are debilitating diseases that impose a great cost for patients, their families and society. Current first-line treatments for major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders target serotonergic neurotransmission, but the female-biased prevalence of these disorders has long suggested a role for hormones in the etiology and treatment of these diseases. Perhaps the most common hypothesis in this regard is that ovarian hormones promote resilience whereas declining hormone levels (e.g., after childbirth or menopause) increase susceptibility to depressive disorders. In fact, administering the potent estrogen, estradiol, as hormone therapy to perimenopausal women improves mood [1]....

To view this content, please register now for access

It's completely free