Towards the non-invasive determination of estradiol levels: Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS assay for quantification of salivary estradiol at sub-pg/mL level.

Background: Estradiol (E2) is a female sex hormone involved in several biological processes. Although E2 levels are commonly measured in blood samples, the use of non-invasive techniques (e.g.

Sex differences in neural projections of fear memory processing in mice and humans.

It remains unexplored in the field of fear memory whether functional neuronal connectivity between two brain areas is necessary for one sex but not the other. Here, we show that chemogenetic silencing of centromedial (CeM)- fibers in the lateral posterior BNST (BNSTpl) decreased fear memory consolidation in male mice but not females. Optogenetic excitation of CeM- fibers in the BNSTpl exhibited enhanced inhibitory postsynaptic currents in males compared to females.

The Impacts of Sex Differences and Sex Hormones on Fear Extinction.

Fear extinction memories are strongly modulated by sex and hormonal status, but the exact mechanisms are still being discovered. In humans, there are some basal and task-related features in which male and female individuals differ in fear conditioning paradigms. However, analyses considering the effects of sex hormones demonstrate a role for estradiol in fear extinction memory consolidation.

Glucocorticoid-based pharmacotherapies preventing PTSD.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a highly disabling psychiatric condition that may arise after exposure to acute and severe trauma. It is a highly prevalent mental disorder worldwide, and the current treatment options for these patients remain limited due to low effectiveness. The time window right after traumatic events provides clinicians with a unique opportunity for preventive interventions against potential deleterious alterations in brain function that lead to PTSD.

Control of protein synthesis and memory by GluN3A-NMDA receptors through inhibition of GIT1/mTORC1 assembly.

De novo protein synthesis is required for synapse modifications underlying stable memory encoding. Yet neurons are highly compartmentalized cells and how protein synthesis can be regulated at the synapse level is unknown. Here, we characterize neuronal signaling complexes formed by the postsynaptic scaffold GIT1, the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase, and Raptor that couple synaptic stimuli to mTOR-dependent protein synthesis; and identify NMDA receptors containing GluN3A subunits as key negative regulators of GIT1 binding to mTOR.

Direct and Indirect Measurements of Sex Hormones in Rodents During Fear Conditioning.

Fear conditioning (FC) is a widely accepted tool for the assessment of learning and memory processes in rodents related to normal and dysregulated acquired fear. The study of sex differences in fear learning and memory is vast and currently increasing. Sex hormones have proven to be crucial for fear memory formation in males and females, and several methods have been developed to assess this hormonal state in rats and mice.

Expression of the PPM1F Gene Is Regulated by Stress and Associated With Anxiety and Depression.

Background: Molecular mechanisms underlying psychological sequelae of exposure to stressful experiences, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, are not well understood.

Methods: Using convergent evidence from animal and human transcriptomic and genomic studies, we aimed to identify genetic mechanisms underlying depression and anxiety after traumatic experiences.

Results: From a transcriptome-wide analysis in mice, we found the Ppm1f gene to be differentially expressed in the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) a week after immobilization stress.