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Endocrine Disruptor Research Initiative
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EDRI Federal Project Inventory:
Hormonal Control of Differences in Brain and Behavior


  1. Sponsor Organization: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

  2. Project Title: HORMONAL CONTROL OF DIFFERENCES IN BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR

  3. Project Focus: HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS

  4. Description: Understanding how the production, specification and survival of nerve cells areregulated to generate variation in neuron number is an important goal of developmentalneurobiology. In many instances, these processes are influenced by steroid hormonessuch as estrogen, which act on the developing nervous system to regulate neuronnumber and growth within specific brain regions. This proposal concerns thebiological mechanisms and cellular populations through which these hormones exertcontrol over brain cell number. Several proposed studies will test the hypothesis thathormones prevent cell death to influence neuron number within specific brain regions.Other studies are aimed at identifying the cell populations actually mediating theseneurotrophic effects of steroids. More specifically, experiments will test the notion thatsome neurons transiently express estrogen receptors during their migration, anddepend on this hormone for their survival during this period. In addition, the work willaddress how glia contribute to the neurotrophic effects of steroid hormones duringdevelopment. The long term aim of these studies is to use the hormonal regulation ofneuron growth and survival as a tool with which to explore the underlying cellular andmolecular changes influencing a neuron's decision to live or die. In so doing, a greaterunderstanding of the factors contributing to neuron death during development and indisease will be attained.

  5. References:

  6. Category: MODELS

  7. Subcategory: BASIC RESEARCH

  8. Keywords for Experimental System/Species: AVIAN, IN VIVO, IN VITRO, LABORATORY STUDIES

  9. Keywords for Experimental Endpoints: NEUROLOGICAL, REPRODUCTIVE, HORMONE MEASURES, SEX STEROIDS, PEPTIDE HORMONES,PHYSIOLOGY, BREEDING BEHAVIOR, GROWTH FACTORS, HORMONE RECEPTORS, MOLECULAR, GENEEXPRESSION

  10. Chemical Agents: Sex Steroids

  11. Performing Institution: University of Rochester

  12. Contact: Ernest J Nordeen, Martha C Bohn, Kathy W Nordeen, Rochester, NY 14627 716 275-5911

 

 
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