Neuroactive steroids in the neuroendocrine control of food intake, metabolism, and reproduction

AbstractNeuroactive steroids are a type of steroid hormones produced within the nervous system or in peripheral glands and then transported to the brain to exert their neuromodulatory effects. Neuroactive steroids have pleiotropic effects, that include promoting myelination, neuroplasticity, and brain development. They also regulate important physiological functions, such as metabolism, feeding, reproduction, and stress response. The homoeostatic processes of metabolism and reproduction are closely linked and mutually dependent. Reproductive events, such as pregnancy, bring about significant changes in metabolism, and metabolic status may affect reproductive function in mammals. In females, the regulation of reproduction and energy balance is controlled by the fluctuations of oestradiol and progesterone throughout the menstrual cycle. Neurosteroids play a key role in the neuroendocrine control of reproduction. The synthesis of neuroestradiol and neuroprogesterone within the brain is a crucial process that facilitates the release of GnRH and LH, which in turn, regulate the transition from oestrogen-negative to oestrogen-positive feedback. In addition to their function in the reproductive system, oestrogen has a key role in the regulation of energy homoeostasis by acting at central and peripheral levels. The oestrogenic effects on body weight homoeostasis are primarily mediated by oestrogen receptors- α (ERα), which are abundantly expressed in multiple brain regions that are ...
Source: Endocrine - Category: Endocrinology Source Type: research