Abstract
IN spite of wide evidence for their existence, mechanisms of steroid–brain interaction are poorly understood. It has been reported that hydroxylation of oestrogens occurs in the liver1,2 and that hydroxylated oestrogens such as 2-hydroxy-oestradiol-17β (2-OHE2) are strong competitive inhibitors of the methylation of catecholamines by catechol-O-methyltransferase3. We report for the first time the action of 2-OHE2 on the brain. Our experiments demonstrate that 2-OHE2 lowered plasma levels of the anterior pituitary luteinising hormone (LH). A response was recorded from the amygdala, which accumulate gonadal steroids4,5 and participate in the regulation of the anterior pituitary.
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PARVIZI, N., ELLENDORFF, F. 2-Hydroxy-oestradiol-17β as a possible link in steroid brain interaction. Nature 256, 59–60 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/256059a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/256059a0
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