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Current Hypertension Reports
Published in: Current Hypertension Reports 8/2014

01-08-2014 | Hypertension and the Brain (S Stocker, Section Editor)

Yes! Sex Matters: Sex, the Brain and Blood Pressure

Authors: Meredith Hay, Baojian Xue, Alan Kim Johnson

Published in: Current Hypertension Reports | Issue 8/2014

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Abstract

The role of the brain in hypertension between the sexes is known to be important especially with regards to the effects of circulating sex hormones. A number of different brain regions important for regulation of sympathetic outflow and blood pressure express estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ). Estradiol, acting predominantly via the ERα, inhibits angiotensin II activation of the area postrema and subfornical organ neurons and inhibits reactive oxygen generation that is required for the development of Angiotensin II-induced neurogenic hypertension. Estradiol activation of ERβ within the paraventricular nucleus and the rostral ventral lateral medulla inhibits these neurons and inhibits angiotensin II, or aldosterone induced increases in sympathetic outflow and hypertension. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying ERα and ERβ actions within key brain regions regulating blood pressure will be essential for the development of “next generation” selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMS) that can be used clinically for the treatment of neurogenic hypertension.
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Metadata
Title
Yes! Sex Matters: Sex, the Brain and Blood Pressure
Authors
Meredith Hay
Baojian Xue
Alan Kim Johnson
Publication date
01-08-2014
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Hypertension Reports / Issue 8/2014
Print ISSN: 1522-6417
Electronic ISSN: 1534-3111
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-014-0458-4

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