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Biomolecules
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Hormonal Regulation of Neurogenesis in Adults
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Hormonal Regulation of Neurogenesis in Adults

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Biological Factors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2020) | Viewed by 39831

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Elizabeth D. Kirby

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
Interests: neurogenesis; hippocampus; neural stem cell; secretome; memory
Dr. Erica R. Glasper

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
Interests: neurogenesis; dendritic spines; hippocampus; paternal experience; fatherhood; early-life stress; sex differences

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Although adult neurogenesis was once thought to occur in only a select few species, research from the past few decades has revealed that new neurons are continually added to the brains of a wide variety of adult vertebrates. Across animal classes such as reptiles, birds, and mammals, the adult neurogenic process is robust, highly regulated, and sensitive to a number of environmental cues. The hormonal environment, in particular, can modulate every aspect of adult neurogenesis, including birth, survival, maturation, differentiation, and functional integration. Hormones can drive massive expansion of entire brain regions, as happens seasonally in some bird species; or a progressive slowing of cell proliferation, as happens in rats exposed to chronic stress. Hormone-induced changes in adult neurogenesis may be adaptive or maladaptive, and effects of individual hormones may vary depending on how much hormone is released, how long hormone exposure occurs, or even what the temporal pattern of hormone exposure is. Uncovering the mechanisms and functions of the hormonal regulation of adult neurogenesis remains an exciting frontier with many unanswered questions.

We invite scientists to contribute both original research articles and reviews on the topic of hormonal regulation of adult neurogenesis. Work focusing on traditional laboratory species, as well as other wild or captive species, is welcome.

Dr. Elizabeth D. Kirby
Dr. Erica R. Glasper
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomolecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • adult neurogenesis
  • cell survival
  • hormone
  • hippocampus
  • dentate gyrus
  • subventricular zone
  • steroid hormone
  • peptide hormone

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Review

15 pages, 1319 KiB  
Review
A Runner’s High for New Neurons? Potential Role for Endorphins in Exercise Effects on Adult Neurogenesis
by Timothy J. Schoenfeld and Chance Swanson
Biomolecules 2021, 11(8), 1077; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11081077 - 21 Jul 2021
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 14067
Abstract
Physical exercise has wide-ranging benefits to cognitive functioning and mental state, effects very closely resembling enhancements to hippocampal functioning. Hippocampal neurogenesis has been implicated in many of these mental benefits of exercise. However, precise mechanisms behind these effects are not well known. Released [...] Read more.
Physical exercise has wide-ranging benefits to cognitive functioning and mental state, effects very closely resembling enhancements to hippocampal functioning. Hippocampal neurogenesis has been implicated in many of these mental benefits of exercise. However, precise mechanisms behind these effects are not well known. Released peripherally during exercise, beta-endorphins are an intriguing candidate for moderating increases in neurogenesis and the related behavioral benefits of exercise. Although historically ignored due to their peripheral release and status as a peptide hormone, this review highlights reasons for further exploring beta-endorphin as a key mediator of hippocampal neurogenesis. This includes possible routes for beta-endorphin signaling into the hippocampus during exercise, direct effects of beta-endorphin on cell proliferation and neurogenesis, and behavioral effects of manipulating endogenous opioid signaling. Together, beta-endorphin appears to be a promising mechanism for understanding the specific ways that exercise promotes adult neurogenesis specifically and brain health broadly. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hormonal Regulation of Neurogenesis in Adults)
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25 pages, 1979 KiB  
Review
Hormonal Regulation of Oligodendrogenesis II: Implications for Myelin Repair
by Jocelyn M. Breton, Kimberly L. P. Long, Matthew K. Barraza, Olga S. Perloff and Daniela Kaufer
Biomolecules 2021, 11(2), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11020290 - 16 Feb 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5150
Abstract
Alterations in myelin, the protective and insulating sheath surrounding axons, affect brain function, as is evident in demyelinating diseases where the loss of myelin leads to cognitive and motor dysfunction. Recent evidence suggests that changes in myelination, including both hyper- and hypo-myelination, may [...] Read more.
Alterations in myelin, the protective and insulating sheath surrounding axons, affect brain function, as is evident in demyelinating diseases where the loss of myelin leads to cognitive and motor dysfunction. Recent evidence suggests that changes in myelination, including both hyper- and hypo-myelination, may also play a role in numerous neurological and psychiatric diseases. Protecting myelin and promoting remyelination is thus crucial for a wide range of disorders. Oligodendrocytes (OLs) are the cells that generate myelin, and oligodendrogenesis, the creation of new OLs, continues throughout life and is necessary for myelin plasticity and remyelination. Understanding the regulation of oligodendrogenesis and myelin plasticity within disease contexts is, therefore, critical for the development of novel therapeutic targets. In our companion manuscript, we review literature demonstrating that multiple hormone classes are involved in the regulation of oligodendrogenesis under physiological conditions. The majority of hormones enhance oligodendrogenesis, increasing oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation and inducing maturation and myelin production in OLs. Thus, hormonal treatments present a promising route to promote remyelination. Here, we review the literature on hormonal regulation of oligodendrogenesis within the context of disorders. We focus on steroid hormones, including glucocorticoids and sex hormones, peptide hormones such as insulin-like growth factor 1, and thyroid hormones. For each hormone, we describe whether they aid in OL survival, differentiation, or remyelination, and we discuss their mechanisms of action, if known. Several of these hormones have yielded promising results in both animal models and in human conditions; however, a better understanding of hormonal effects, interactions, and their mechanisms will ultimately lead to more targeted therapeutics for myelin repair. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hormonal Regulation of Neurogenesis in Adults)
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35 pages, 1355 KiB  
Review
Hormonal Regulation of Oligodendrogenesis I: Effects across the Lifespan
by Kimberly L. P. Long, Jocelyn M. Breton, Matthew K. Barraza, Olga S. Perloff and Daniela Kaufer
Biomolecules 2021, 11(2), 283; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11020283 - 14 Feb 2021
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 8172
Abstract
The brain’s capacity to respond to changing environments via hormonal signaling is critical to fine-tuned function. An emerging body of literature highlights a role for myelin plasticity as a prominent type of experience-dependent plasticity in the adult brain. Myelin plasticity is driven by [...] Read more.
The brain’s capacity to respond to changing environments via hormonal signaling is critical to fine-tuned function. An emerging body of literature highlights a role for myelin plasticity as a prominent type of experience-dependent plasticity in the adult brain. Myelin plasticity is driven by oligodendrocytes (OLs) and their precursor cells (OPCs). OPC differentiation regulates the trajectory of myelin production throughout development, and importantly, OPCs maintain the ability to proliferate and generate new OLs throughout adulthood. The process of oligodendrogenesis, the creation of new OLs, can be dramatically influenced during early development and in adulthood by internal and environmental conditions such as hormones. Here, we review the current literature describing hormonal regulation of oligodendrogenesis within physiological conditions, focusing on several classes of hormones: steroid, peptide, and thyroid hormones. We discuss hormonal regulation at each stage of oligodendrogenesis and describe mechanisms of action, where known. Overall, the majority of hormones enhance oligodendrogenesis, increasing OPC differentiation and inducing maturation and myelin production in OLs. The mechanisms underlying these processes vary for each hormone but may ultimately converge upon common signaling pathways, mediated by specific receptors expressed across the OL lineage. However, not all of the mechanisms have been fully elucidated, and here, we note the remaining gaps in the literature, including the complex interactions between hormonal systems and with the immune system. In the companion manuscript in this issue, we discuss the implications of hormonal regulation of oligodendrogenesis for neurological and psychiatric disorders characterized by white matter loss. Ultimately, a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of hormonal regulation of oligodendrogenesis across the entire lifespan, especially in vivo, will progress both basic and translational research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hormonal Regulation of Neurogenesis in Adults)
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32 pages, 1082 KiB  
Review
Hormonal Regulation of Mammalian Adult Neurogenesis: A Multifaceted Mechanism
by Claudia Jorgensen and Zuoxin Wang
Biomolecules 2020, 10(8), 1151; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10081151 - 6 Aug 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4686
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis—resulting in adult-generated functioning, integrated neurons—is still one of the most captivating research areas of neuroplasticity. The addition of new neurons in adulthood follows a seemingly consistent multi-step process. These neurogenic stages include proliferation, differentiation, migration, maturation/survival, and integration of new neurons [...] Read more.
Adult neurogenesis—resulting in adult-generated functioning, integrated neurons—is still one of the most captivating research areas of neuroplasticity. The addition of new neurons in adulthood follows a seemingly consistent multi-step process. These neurogenic stages include proliferation, differentiation, migration, maturation/survival, and integration of new neurons into the existing neuronal network. Most studies assessing the impact of exogenous (e.g., restraint stress) or endogenous (e.g., neurotrophins) factors on adult neurogenesis have focused on proliferation, survival, and neuronal differentiation. This review will discuss the multifaceted impact of hormones on these various stages of adult neurogenesis. Specifically, we will review the evidence for hormonal facilitation (via gonadal hormones), inhibition (via glucocorticoids), and neuroprotection (via recruitment of other neurochemicals such as neurotrophin and neuromodulators) on newly adult-generated neurons in the mammalian brain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hormonal Regulation of Neurogenesis in Adults)
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24 pages, 696 KiB  
Review
Testosterone and Adult Neurogenesis
by Mark D. Spritzer and Ethan A. Roy
Biomolecules 2020, 10(2), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10020225 - 3 Feb 2020
Cited by 42 | Viewed by 6748
Abstract
It is now well established that neurogenesis occurs throughout adulthood in select brain regions, but the functional significance of adult neurogenesis remains unclear. There is considerable evidence that steroid hormones modulate various stages of adult neurogenesis, and this review provides a focused summary [...] Read more.
It is now well established that neurogenesis occurs throughout adulthood in select brain regions, but the functional significance of adult neurogenesis remains unclear. There is considerable evidence that steroid hormones modulate various stages of adult neurogenesis, and this review provides a focused summary of the effects of testosterone on adult neurogenesis. Initial evidence came from field studies with birds and wild rodent populations. Subsequent experiments with laboratory rodents have tested the effects of testosterone and its steroid metabolites upon adult neurogenesis, as well as the functional consequences of induced changes in neurogenesis. These experiments have provided clear evidence that testosterone increases adult neurogenesis within the dentate gyrus region of the hippocampus through an androgen-dependent pathway. Most evidence indicates that androgens selectively enhance the survival of newly generated neurons, while having little effect on cell proliferation. Whether this is a result of androgens acting directly on receptors of new neurons remains unclear, and indirect routes involving brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glucocorticoids may be involved. In vitro experiments suggest that testosterone has broad-ranging neuroprotective effects, which will be briefly reviewed. A better understanding of the effects of testosterone upon adult neurogenesis could shed light on neurological diseases that show sex differences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hormonal Regulation of Neurogenesis in Adults)
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