March 2, 2006
Provost to speak on estrogen research
Provost to speak on estrogen research
On Tuesday, March 7, Provost Phyllis Wise will speak on her research on estrogens. Wise will deliver the inaugural Mindlin Lecture in Biology, Are Estrogens Risk or Protective Factors in Neurodegeneration: What has the Women’s Health Initiative Told Us and Is There More to the Story?
As Wise describes it, the average lifespan of women has increased from 50 to more than 80 years, but the average age of menopause has remained unchanged at 51. This means that many women will live in a hypoestrogenic state for 30 years, since there is a dramatic drop in ovarian hormone secretion at menopause.
Although numerous studies have shown that estrogens exert protective actions in the brain against memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease and stroke, more recent studies have suggested that some hormone therapies may increase the risk of several diseases, including stroke. Therefore, Wise says, it is crucial that we understand whether and when estrogens protect the brain and the mechanisms that underlie their actions.
“I will discuss our recent findings that low physiological levels of estradiol exert dramatic neuroprotective effects in animal models of stroke,” Wise said. “Our findings indicate that estradiol alters a programmed sequence of cellular events, salvaging the brain from injury. Our discoveries carry broad implications for the selective targeting of estrogen receptors in the treatment of disease, particularly for aging, postmenopausal women.”
The talk will be at 4 p.m. in 120 Kane. A reception for Wise will follow in the Waker Ames Room.
