The effect of female sex hormones on Hsp27 phosphorylation and histological changes in prefrontal cortex after tMCAO.

Background: Female sex hormones are protective factors against many neurological disorders such as brain ischemia. Heat shock protein like HSP27 is activated after tissue injury. The main purpose of the present study is to determine the effect of a combined estrogen / progesterone cocktail on the morphology of astrocytes, neurons and Hsp27 phosphorylation after cerebral ischemia.