Sexual hormones regulate the redox status and mitochondrial function in the brain. Pathological implications
Margalida Torrens-Mas,
Daniel-Gabriel Pons,
Jorge Sastre-Serra,
Jordi Oliver,
Pilar Roca
Affiliations
Margalida Torrens-Mas
Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciéncies de la Salut (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, E-07122, Illes Balears, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares (IdISBa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S, Palma de Mallorca, E-07120, Illes Balears, Spain
Daniel-Gabriel Pons
Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciéncies de la Salut (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, E-07122, Illes Balears, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares (IdISBa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S, Palma de Mallorca, E-07120, Illes Balears, Spain
Jorge Sastre-Serra
Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciéncies de la Salut (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, E-07122, Illes Balears, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares (IdISBa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S, Palma de Mallorca, E-07120, Illes Balears, Spain; Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
Jordi Oliver
Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciéncies de la Salut (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, E-07122, Illes Balears, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares (IdISBa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S, Palma de Mallorca, E-07120, Illes Balears, Spain; Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
Pilar Roca
Grupo Multidisciplinar de Oncología Traslacional, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciéncies de la Salut (IUNICS), Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, E-07122, Illes Balears, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares (IdISBa), Hospital Universitario Son Espases, edificio S, Palma de Mallorca, E-07120, Illes Balears, Spain; Ciber Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CB06/03), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Corresponding author. Departamento de Biología Fundamental y Ciencias de la Salud, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Cra de Valldemossa, km 7'5, 07122, Palma, Spain.
Compared to other organs, the brain is especially exposed to oxidative stress. In general, brains from young females tend to present lower oxidative damage in comparison to their male counterparts. This has been attributed to higher antioxidant defenses and a better mitochondrial function in females, which has been linked to neuroprotection in this group. However, these differences usually disappear with aging, and the incidence of brain pathologies increases in aged females. Sexual hormones, which suffer a decrease with normal aging, have been proposed as the key factors involved in these gender differences. Here, we provide an overview of redox status and mitochondrial function regulation by sexual hormones and their influence in normal brain aging. Furthermore, we discuss how sexual hormones, as well as phytoestrogens, may play an important role in the development and progression of several brain pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, stroke or brain cancer.
