Sex and estradiol effects in the rodent dorsal striatum.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of preclinical rodent mechanistic and behavioral literature without human data.
PubMed 39573926 · doi:10.1111/ejn.16607
What was done
This narrative review synthesized literature on the cellular and behavioral effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) and sex differences in the rodent dorsal striatum (caudate-putamen). The authors examined estrogen receptor subtypes (ERα, ERβ, GPER), synaptic transmission, dopamine modulation, and dorsal striatum-dependent motor and learning behaviors, distinguishing between endogenous estrous cycle fluctuations and exogenous E2 administration.
What was found
The abstract does not provide quantitative data or effect sizes. It reports that membrane-localized estrogen receptors (ERα, ERβ, GPER) in the adult rodent dorsal striatum mediate E2-induced alterations in neuronal excitability, basal synaptic transmission, and long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP). These effects occur through direct signaling cascades or secondary modulation of dopamine availability, including changes in dopamine release, receptor expression, and transporter dynamics that influence goal-directed and habit learning.
Why it matters
It consolidates neurobiological mechanisms by which estrogens acutely and cyclically regulate dorsal striatal function and dopamine dynamics, providing mechanistic foundations for understanding sex differences in striatal-dependent learning, movement, and neuropsychiatric disorders.
Limits
The review relies entirely on preclinical rodent studies, limiting direct translatability to human neurophysiology. Because it is a narrative review rather than a systematic review or meta-analysis, search parameters, study selection criteria, and quantitative effect estimates are absent.
Cited by
- supports Loss of estrogen in the brain causes a drop in dopamine levels.