Sex hormones and diseases of the nervous system

The influence of gonadal hormones on neurological health and disease is a rapidly developing domain in fundamental and clinical neuroscience. Sex hormones, directly or via their neurosteroid metabolites, impact monoaminergic, cholinergic, and peptidergic neurotransmission and play essential roles in shaping brain organization and function under normal and pathological conditions. The clinical expression of various neurological disorders may be modified by hormonal fluctuations related to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause, and oral contraceptive use. Understanding these interactions could lead to targeted hormonal and antihormonal therapies for diverse neurological conditions, including but not limited to catamenial epilepsy, Parkinson disease, and acute intermittent porphyria.