Oestrogen in the brain is important to keep neurons communicating and making memories, scientists have found.
Neurons in both males and females make oestrogen. Researchers have shown that when they do not, their brains have significantly less dense spines and synapses – both key communication points for neurons – in the biggest part of their brain, called the forebrain.
"We think this shows oestrogen has a clear role in synaptic plasticity, how the neurons communicate and in memory," said Darrell Brann, from Augusta University in the US.
The researchers found that mice whose neurons do not make oestrogen have impaired spatial reference memory as well as recognition memory and contextual fear memory – so they have trouble remembering what's hazardous.