17β Estradiol increases resilience and improves hippocampal synaptic function in helpless ovariectomized rats.

ABSTRACT: Memory impairment is the most commonly reported cognitive symptom associated with major depressive disorder. Decreased hippocampal volume and neurogenesis in depression link hippocampal dysfunction with deficits in memory. Stress decreases hippocampal dendritic spine density and long-term potentiation (LTP) at glutamate synapses, a cellular correlate of learning and memory. However, elevated plasma levels of 17β estradiol (E2) during proestrus increase hippocampal structure and function, directly opposing the negative consequences of stress. In women, significant fluctuations in ovarian hormones likely increase vulnerability of hippocampal circuits to stress, potentially contributing to the greater incidence of depression compared to men. Using the learned helplessness model of depression

SUBMITTER: Bredemann TM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4065496 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature