Progesterone receptors and neural development: a gap between bench and bedside?

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Endocrinology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• The role of progesterone and its receptors in neural development is not well understood.
• Progesterone is increasingly used clinically in pregnant women and premature neonates.
• Rodent models suggest the brain is sensitive to progesterone during development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review basic research on the role of progesterone and its receptors in brain development.
• To explore the potential implications of this research for clinical applications.
• To highlight the need for integrated research approaches.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing scientific literature on progesterone and neural development.
• Analysis of findings from rodent models regarding progesterone receptor expression.
• Examination of the anatomical and developmental specificity of progesterone receptor expression in the perinatal cortex.

Main Results:

• Progesterone receptor (PR) expression shows significant sex differences, with males exhibiting higher levels in certain brain regions.
• These sex differences suggest a role for PR in the sexual differentiation of the brain and behavior.
• PR is transiently expressed in brain areas linked to cognitive functions during fetal and neonatal development.
• PR protein and mRNA are found in perinatal cortical pyramidal cell layers in a specific pattern, supporting a role in cortical development.

Conclusions:

• Progesterone is likely essential for normal cortical development.
• Progesterone signaling influences brain sexual differentiation.
• Further research integrating basic science and clinical findings is crucial for understanding progesterone's role in neural development and its clinical applications.