Genistein partly eases aging and estropause-induced primary cortical neuronal changes in rats.

Gonadal hormones can modulate brain morphology and behavior. Recent studies have shown that hypogonadism could result in cortical function deficits. To this end, hormone therapy has been used to ease associated symptoms but the risk may outweigh the benefits. Here we explored whether genistein, a ph...

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Main Authors: Tsyr-Jiuan Wang, Jeng-Rung Chen, Wen-Jay Wang, Yueh-Jan Wang, Guo-Fang Tseng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2014-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0089819&type=printable
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author Tsyr-Jiuan Wang
Jeng-Rung Chen
Wen-Jay Wang
Yueh-Jan Wang
Guo-Fang Tseng
author_facet Tsyr-Jiuan Wang
Jeng-Rung Chen
Wen-Jay Wang
Yueh-Jan Wang
Guo-Fang Tseng
author_sort Tsyr-Jiuan Wang
collection DOAJ
description Gonadal hormones can modulate brain morphology and behavior. Recent studies have shown that hypogonadism could result in cortical function deficits. To this end, hormone therapy has been used to ease associated symptoms but the risk may outweigh the benefits. Here we explored whether genistein, a phytoestrogen, is effective in restoring the cognitive and central neuronal changes in late middle age and surgically estropause female rats. Both animal groups showed poorer spatial learning than young adults. The dendritic arbors and spines of the somatosensory cortical and CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neurons were revealed with intracellular dye injection and analyzed. The results showed that dendritic spines on these neurons were significantly decreased. Remarkably, genistein treatment rescued spatial learning deficits and restored the spine density on all neurons in the surgically estropause young females. In late middle age females, genistein was as effective as estradiol in restoring spines; however, the recovery was less thorough than on young OHE rats. Neither genistein nor estradiol rectified the shortened dendritic arbors of the aging cortical pyramidal neurons suggesting that dendritic arbors and spines are differently modulated. Thus, genistein could work at central level to restore excitatory connectivity and appears to be potent alternative to estradiol for easing aging and menopausal syndromes.
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spelling doaj-art-aef59af14db148c78c6b0980fce98bd42025-08-20T03:11:54ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0192e8981910.1371/journal.pone.0089819Genistein partly eases aging and estropause-induced primary cortical neuronal changes in rats.Tsyr-Jiuan WangJeng-Rung ChenWen-Jay WangYueh-Jan WangGuo-Fang TsengGonadal hormones can modulate brain morphology and behavior. Recent studies have shown that hypogonadism could result in cortical function deficits. To this end, hormone therapy has been used to ease associated symptoms but the risk may outweigh the benefits. Here we explored whether genistein, a phytoestrogen, is effective in restoring the cognitive and central neuronal changes in late middle age and surgically estropause female rats. Both animal groups showed poorer spatial learning than young adults. The dendritic arbors and spines of the somatosensory cortical and CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neurons were revealed with intracellular dye injection and analyzed. The results showed that dendritic spines on these neurons were significantly decreased. Remarkably, genistein treatment rescued spatial learning deficits and restored the spine density on all neurons in the surgically estropause young females. In late middle age females, genistein was as effective as estradiol in restoring spines; however, the recovery was less thorough than on young OHE rats. Neither genistein nor estradiol rectified the shortened dendritic arbors of the aging cortical pyramidal neurons suggesting that dendritic arbors and spines are differently modulated. Thus, genistein could work at central level to restore excitatory connectivity and appears to be potent alternative to estradiol for easing aging and menopausal syndromes.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0089819&type=printable
spellingShingle Tsyr-Jiuan Wang
Jeng-Rung Chen
Wen-Jay Wang
Yueh-Jan Wang
Guo-Fang Tseng
Genistein partly eases aging and estropause-induced primary cortical neuronal changes in rats.
PLoS ONE
title Genistein partly eases aging and estropause-induced primary cortical neuronal changes in rats.
title_full Genistein partly eases aging and estropause-induced primary cortical neuronal changes in rats.
title_fullStr Genistein partly eases aging and estropause-induced primary cortical neuronal changes in rats.
title_full_unstemmed Genistein partly eases aging and estropause-induced primary cortical neuronal changes in rats.
title_short Genistein partly eases aging and estropause-induced primary cortical neuronal changes in rats.
title_sort genistein partly eases aging and estropause induced primary cortical neuronal changes in rats
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0089819&type=printable
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