Pubertal Hormones Increase Hippocampal Expression of α4βδ GABAA Receptors
May 2019
in “
Neuroscience letters
”
TLDR Hormones during puberty increase certain receptors in the brain, and this change is influenced by estrogen levels.
The study concluded that pubertal hormones increased the expression of α4βδ GABAA receptors in the hippocampus, driven by rising levels of 17β-estradiol (E2) and declining levels of the neurosteroid THP. This change was mediated by estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) and was linked to alterations in anxiety, synaptic function, and potentially mood and cognitive neuropathologies. The findings provided insights into the molecular changes during puberty that could influence synaptic plasticity, learning, and anxiety.
