Date of Award

2016

Type

Thesis

Major

Biology

Department

Biology

Abstract

Estrogens are a class of hormones that are demonstrated to be neuroprotective. The levels of estrogen in the body decline during menopause which can cause a variety of symptoms. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment option for menopause, however, it has been demonstrated to have adverse side effects. Of the treatment options for adverse side effects of HRT, Selective estrogen Down-regulators do not appear to have an agonist effects on estrogen receptors while Selective estrogen receptor Modulators do. The aim of this study was to determine the role that estrogen receptors play in the survival of astrocytes when placed under stress with epinephrine as well as when treated with a well-known SERD. The results of this experiment indicated that treatment with estrogens did not offer any neuroprotection. Future studies should focus on differing concentrations of variables and different exposure times to further evaluate the mechanisms of estrogen signaling.

Included in

Biology Commons

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