Membrane steroid receptors in neuroendocrinology

A major problem confronting postmenopausal women is whether or not to take hormone replacement therapy in light of the negative findings of the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study published about a decade ago declaring there were no positive effects of hormone replacement therapy on cognitive function. In fact, there were even increased risks of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, it is known that estrogens maintain autonomic functions and have been reported to exert a positive influence on mood and affect. Hence, there has been a critical need for the development of new drugs for targeting steroid receptors in the brain. This special issue of Neuroendocrinology on 'Membrane Steroid Receptors in Neuroendocrinology' is a collection of timely review articles from leading experts on gonadal steroid receptors. The scholarly, in-depth analysis of the novel signaling pathways of the gonadal steroid receptors in the brain provide a much needed new perspective. 'Membrane Steroid Receptors in Neuroendocrinology' is a must read for scientists and clinicians interested in rational drug design for treating the symptoms of menopause in women and andropause in men.