Female reproductive steroids and neuronal excitability

@article{Finocchi2011FemaleRS,
  title={Female reproductive steroids and neuronal excitability},
  author={Cinzia Finocchi and Marco Ferrari},
  journal={Neurological Sciences},
  year={2011},
  volume={32},
  pages={31-35}
}
Oestrogen and progesterone have specific receptors in the central nervous system and are able to regulate neuronal development and plasticity, neuronal excitability, mitochondrial energy production, and neurotransmitter synthesis, release, and transport. On neuronal excitability, estradiol and progesterone seem to have an opposite effect, with estradiol being excitatory and progesterone and its derivative allopregnanolone being inhibitory. Estradiol augments N-methyl-d-aspartate-mediated… 
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An appreciation of the relationships between gonadal hormones and neurological conditions may facilitate the development of specific hormonal and anti-hormonal therapies for neurological disorders as disparate as catamenial epilepsy and acute intermittent porphyria.

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The role of the “neuroactive” steroids estradiol and progesterone in reproductive endocrine-related mood disorders are described and potential mechanisms by which ALLO might contribute to their pathophysiology are highlighted.

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TLDR
Estrogen values changed significantly between the parameters of nulliparous values compared to multiparous female mice, and progesterone values did not change in the two groups of mice studied, suggesting that the increase in estrogen values in these "reproductive depressions" occurred during the premenstrual, postpartum and perimenopause phases.

The regional effect of serum hormone levels on cerebral blood flow in healthy nonpregnant women

TLDR
Results show that EST and PROG have opposing and regionally distinct effects on CBF and that this relationship is likely not due to interactions with large intracranial arteries, and future studies should consider assessing MC‐related hormone fluctuations in the design of functional MRI studies in this population.

Serum levels of allopregnanolone, progesterone and testosterone in menstrually-related and postmenopausal migraine: A cross-sectional study

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Low allopregnanolone levels could contribute to menstrually-related migraine and persistence of migraine after menopause, and a rise in the GABAergic transmission by increasing inhibitory neurosteroids might represent a novel strategy.

Neurovascular Pharmacology of Migraine: Epigenetics and Sex Hormones

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Migraine is a neurovascular disorder characterized by a unilateral throbbing headache that lasts 4 to 72 hours and is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, photo- and phonophobia.
...

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