Estrogens and Memory
Although estrogens are best known for their roles in reproduction, they are also key modulators of brain regions that mediate learning and memory formation. This regulation has significant translational implications, as estrogens contribute to age-related memory decline and dementia, emotional disorders, addiction, and recovery from brain injury. Although the importance of estrogens for memory formation has been well accepted within the behavioral neuroendocrinology community, they have yet to be fully appreciated by neuroscientists outside of the discipline. The majority of researchers are not trained endocrinologists, and no previous monograph comprehensively encompasses the breadth of basic and clinical research on this subject. Estrogens and Memory: Basic Research and Clinical Implications provides a compendium of cutting-edge basic and clinical research describing the ways in which estrogens regulate memory in a variety of species. Chapters are written by leading experts whose work is on the forefront of this exciting field. The book is organized into three sections: effects of estrogens on the hippocampus and other brain regions central to memory, effects of estrogens on memory and related cognitive processes throughout the lifespan, and translational implications of estrogenic regulation of memory for aging and disease. This book gives an insider’s perspective on how hormonal regulation of brain function influences cognition and provides a one-stop reference for those interested in learning about the effects of estrogens on memory and the resulting implications for mental health.