3^rd International Meeting

STEROIDS AND NERVOUS SYSTEM

February 13-17, 2005 Villa Gualino,TORINO, Italy

February 13

Satellite symposium

• • NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF STEROIDS IN THE SPINAL CORD AND PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

Satellite symposium

• • STEROID HORMONE REGULATION OF NEUROPEPTIDE Y SYSTEM

19 Open Ceremony

February 14

Symposium: Synthesis and new interactions

• -Garcia-Segura (Spain) Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein in the brain

• -Papadopoulos V (USA) Peripheral benzodiazepine receptors and neurosteroid biosynthesis in neurodegeneration

• -Kawato S (JAPAN) Local synthesis of estrogens and androgens by P450 enzymes in adult hippocampal neurons: Essential for rapid nongenomic action

• -Mani S (USA) Signaling mechanisms in progesterone- neurotransmitter interactions

• -Rune GM (GERMANY) Hippocampal synapses depend on hippocampal estrogen synthesis

Main Lecture

• • Balthazart J. (Belgium) Rapid changes in the production and behavioral action of estrogens

Symposium: Non classical mechanism

• -Maurice T (FRANCE) The sigma-1 receptor as a target for the rapid effects of neuroactivesteroids

• -Henderson LP (USA) Anabolic androgenic steroids: modulation of GABA-A receptor expression and function

• -Don Carlos L. (USA) Novel cellular phenotypes and subcellular sites for androgen and estrogen action in the developing and adult rat forebrain

• -Morrow AL (USA) Perinatal neurosteroid levels influence GABAergic interneuron localization and cortical function in adult rats

• -Belelli D (UK) Neuroactive steroids and inhibitory neurotransmission: mechanism of action and physiological relevance

February 15

Symposium: Neuroactive steroids and mental health: basic understanding of steroid action

• -Veliskova J (USA) The role of estrogens in seizures and epilepsy: bad guys or good guys?

• -Behl C (GERMANY) Estrogens against Alzheimers?: Estrogen as neuroprotective hormone

• -Dorsa DM (USA) Non classical effects of estrogens and neuroprotection

• -Lacreuse A (USA) Estrogens effects on cognitive and motor function in young and aged rhesus monkeys

• - Marchetti B (Italy) Neuroactive Steroids and Neuroprotection: Glia Dictates Resistance versus Vulnerability to Neurodegeneration

Main Lecture:

• • Wise P. (USA) Estrogen therapy: Does it help or hurt the adult and aging brain? Insights derived from animal models

Symposium: Neuroactive steroids and mental health: Clinical studies

• -Janowsky JS (USA) The effects of sex steroids on cognitive aging in men and women

• -Sherwin BB (CANADA) Estrogen and Cognitive Ageing in Women

• -Maki PM (USA) (Hormone Therapy and Brain Function: Is there a critical period for neuroprotection?

• -Henderson VW (USA) Ovarian Steroids and Dementia

• -Rupprecht R (GERMANY) Neurosteroids as modulators of depression and anxiety

February 16

Symposium: Corticosteroid effects and stress

• Russell J (UK) Neurosteroids attenuate neuroendocrine stress responses in pregnancy

• -Piazza PV (France) The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) as a molecular substrate of vulnerability to drugs of abuse

• -Meijer OC (The Netherlands) Coactivator and corepressor proteins: mediators of corticosteroid action in the brain

• -Roozendaal B (USA) Brain mechanisms underlying stress and glucocorticoid effects on distinct cognitive processes

• -Reddy DS (USA) Physiological role of the neuroactive steroid THDOC in stress-sensitive conditions

February 17

Symposium: New perspectives in sexual differentiation

• - Simerly RB(USA) Estrogen Receptor Dependent Axon Targeting in the Limbic Forebrain

• -Forger NG (USA) Cell Death and Sexual Differentiation

• -Fusani L (Italy) Steroid induced masculinization of song and the neural song system in adult songbirds

• -De Vries GJ (USA) Sexual differentiation of central vasopressin and vasotocin systems among vertebrates: different mechanisms, similar endpoints.

Main Lecture:

• Rissman EF (USA) Genetic models for the study of gonadal steroid dependent behaviors

Symposium: Steroid-induced plasticity

• - MacLusky NJ (USA) Gonadal hormones and CA1 spine synapse density

• - Mong JA (USA) The role of estradiol- responsive astrocytes in amino acid neurotransmission: implication for neuroplasticity and neuroprotection

• - Parducz A (Hungary) Estradiol-induced synaptic remodelling: functional consequences

• - Panzica G.C. (Italy) Gonadal hormones modulation of central nitrinergic systems

• - Jordan C. (USA) Mechanisms of steroid-induced plasticity