Gonadal steroid hormones, modulation

Gonadal Steroid Hormones Modulate Vaginal Marking 22.3.1 Systemic Gonadal Steroid Hormones... 

The AOB has direct projections to the amygdala, specifically to the medial and posterior cortical nuclei, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the nucleus of the accessory olfactory tract. These pathways may be involved in the processing of pheromonal information. Neurons in the AOB targets express gonadal steroid receptors and thus may be modulated directly by circulating hormones. The efferent connections of the accessory olfactory system are summarized in Fig. 22. 

Steroid hormones (Section 21.8) are produced by the adrenal cortex and the gonads (testes in males, ovaries in females). The adrenocortical hormones include glucocorticoids, which affect carbohydrate metabolism, modulate inflammatory reactions, and are involved in reactions to stress. The mineralocorticoids control the level of excretion of water and salt by the kidneys. If the adrenal cortex does not function adequately, one result is Addison s disease, characterized by hypoglycemia, weakness, and increased susceptibility to stress. This disease is eventually fatal unless it is treated by administration of mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids to make up for what is missing. The opposite condition, hyperfunction of the adrenal cortex, is frequently caused by a tumor of the adrenal cortex or of the... 

Steroids are hormones that are known to modulate DNA expression and protein expression. Adrenal hormones (e.g., aldosterone and cortisol) participate in the control of metabolism and of salt and water homeostasis. The other class of steroid hormones, gonadal hormones (e.g., estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone), influence mammalian sexual development and function. Several steroids also modulate neurotransmitter action, and some athletes have misused anabolic steroids to enhance their physical strength and performance. GC/MS has been used in conjunction with El or Cl as an ionization method for steroids to determine molecular mass, elemental composition, and length of the side chain of a steroid hydrocarbon. Although these techniques are highly sensitive, they require multistep derivatization of these thermally labile compounds. FAB-MS has proven to be a useful technique to analyze underivatized urinary... 

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