Hormonal fluctuations lead to profound physiological and behavioral responses in all mammals. We seek to identify key estrogen-responsive nodes that optimize female physiology. Mouse models and molecular tools are leveraged to probe the sex-differences and function of neurons in the brain or cells in the gut-brain axis. Our research program is highly relevant to women’s health and age-related diseases.
- An ongoing project is aimed at understanding a remarkable increase in bone density after manipulating hypothalamic neurons (Herber, Krause et al, 2019). We suspect that a novel, anabolic factor induces dense bone with exceptional strength. With new funding from NIA, we will determine how the female brain restrains bone metabolism and identify this new anabolic bone factor to counteract osteoporosis.
- New findings from another project now explain how surges in estrogen in the period leading up to estrus overrides normal homeostatic controls to increase physical activity in females and coordinate energetic output/investment with reproduction (Krause et al 2019). We suggest that when this activity node goes off-line after natural or drug-induced menopause, age-related metabolic and behavioral changes occur. Understanding this activity circuit with new funding from NIDDK could be exploited to mitigate diabetes, obesity, and lowered sexual activity associated with hormone-depletion.