5^th INTERNATIONAL MEETING

STEROIDS AND NERVOUS SYSTEM

TORINO – Villa Gualino February 14-18 2009

February 14^th SATELLITE SYMPOSIA

Satellite symposium

UNEXPECTED ACTIONS OF STEROID RECEPTORS REGULATING REPRODUCTIVE AND SOCIAL BEHAVIORS Organized by P.Micevych & J.Balthazart

• Cornil A. C. (Belgium) Rapid behavioral effects of brain estrogens

• Becker J. B. , Yang H., Hu M., Schultz K. M., Kennedy R. T. (USA) Estradiol receptor-alpha (er-alpha) and motivated behavior

• Fusani L., Day L. B., Schlinger B. A. (Italy) Dynamic coupling and uncoupling between androgen and courtship behavior in male manakins

• McCarthy M., Zhang J.-M., Krebs-Kraft D.L., Waddell J., Bowers J.M. (USA) A Novel Source of Sexual Dimorphism in the Mammalian Brain: Steroid Induced Cell Genesis

• Meisel L. R. (USA) Nonlinear Approaches to Genomic Regulation of Female Sexual Behavio

Satellite symposium

GENDER-SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES BASED ON NEUROACTIVE STEROIDS: IN SEARCH FOR INNOVATIVE TOOLS FOR NEUROPROTECTION Organized by R.C.Melcangi & L.M. Garcia-Segura

• Gillies G. E. (UK) Independent influences of sex steroids of systemic and central origin in a rat model of Parkinson's disease: a contribution to gender-specific neuroprotection by estrogen

• Finn D., Tanchuck M.A., Fretwell A.M., Beckley E.H., Kaufman K.R., Ford M.M. (USA) Manipulation of GABAergic neurosteroids: Sex differences in the effects on alcohol drinking- and withdrawal-related behaviors

• Paus T. (UK) The growt of white matter in the adolescent brain: role of testosterone and androgen

• Frye C.A., Paris J.J., Freidenberg B.M., Franco C.A., Wulfert E. (USA) Gender differences in stress hormones in post traumatic stress disoreder and pathological gambling

• Franklin R. J. (UK) Gender differences in CNS remyelination - a therapeutic opportunity?

• Melcangi R.C., Pesaresi M., Maschi O., Giatti S., Caruso D. (Italy) Gender differences in neuroactive steroid levels: observations in diabetic neuropathy and encephalopathy.

February 15^th

SEX DIFFERENCES IN, AND HORMONAL INFLUENCES ON, CANNABINOID-REGULATED BIOLOGY

(Chairs: McCarthy M. M., Wagner E. J.)

• Wagner E. J. (USA) Sex differences in the cannabinoid regulation of energy homeostasis

• Fratta W., Altea S., Fattore L. (Italy) Sex differences in the self-administration of cannabinoids

• Viveros M. P. (Spain) Sex differences in developmental studies analyzing functional implications of the endocannabinoid system; interactions with stress and other drugs of abuse.

• Franzoni M. F., Cottone E., Pomatto V., Guastalla A. (Italy) Role of the endocannabinoid system in the regulation of lower vertebrate reproduction

Main Lecture

Garcia-Segura L.M.(Spain) Estrogen and neuroprotection

(Chair: Melcangi R.C.)

STEROIDS AND PAIN (Chairs: Balthazart J., Mensah-Nyagan A.G.)

• Mensah-Nyagan A. G., Meyer L., Schaeffer V., Kibaly C., Patte-Mensah C. (France) Steroids and Neurobiology of Pain: history, present and future

• Jevtovic-Todorovic V. , Latham J.R., Pathirathna S., Jagodic M.M., Covey D.F., Todorovic S.M. (USA) T channel modulation with neuroactive steroid, ECN, relieves morbid-obesity-induced diabetic neuropathy in ob/ob mice

• Aloisi A.M. , Fiorenzani P., Ceccarelli I. (Italy) Interactions between opioids and gonadal hormones in the modulation of pain

• Marchand S., Gaumond I., Tousignant-Laflamme Y. (Canada) The Role of sex hormones on endogenous pain modulation: from animal to clinical research

• Levine J. D. (USA) Pain is sexy

• MaassenVanDenBrink A., de Vries R., ter Berg J.W.M. (The Netherlands) Hyperprolactinemia, female sex steroids and dopaminergic mechanisms with respect to the dopamine – prolactine axis in a patient with a hemicrania continua phenotype.

Round Table I:

Androgens and androgen receptors (Chairs: DonCarlos L., Mac Lusky N.)

• DonCarlos, L.L. Sarkey, S. (USA) Rapid actions of androgens in the cerebral cortex

• Collado P., Martini M., Di Sante G., Pinos H., Guillamon A., Panzica G.C.,(Spain) Role of androgens in masculinization of nitrergic system in rats

• Rusmini P., Onesto E., Crippa V., Sau D., Bolzoni E., Galbiati R., Poletti A. (Italy) Pathophysiological roles of the androgen receptor in motor neurons

• Rissman E.F. (USA) Role for androgen receptor in sexual differentiation

• Paris J.J., Frye C.A. (USA) Formation of 3α-androstanediol may underlie alcohol-promoted aggression among rodents

• Panzica G.C., Allieri, F., Bo, E., Collado P., Bakker J., Viglietti-Panzica C. (Italy) Androgens and development of the BST parvocellular vasopressin system

February 16^th

IMPORTANCE OF CO-REGULATORY FACTORS FOR STEROID RECEPTOR ACTION IN THE BRAIN

(Chairs: Charlier T.D., de Vries G.J.)

• Carruth L.L., Duncan, K. A. (USA) The estrogen alpha coactivator, RPL7, and sexual differentiation of the songbird brain

• Tetel M.J. (USA) Nuclear receptor coactivators modulate hormone-dependent gene expression in brain and reproductive behavior in rodents

• Auger A. (USA) Co-repressors and chromatin binding factors: the epigenetic organization of sex differences in the brain

• Charlier T.D. (Belgium) Importance of steroid receptor coregulators for neuronal phenotype determination: modulation of steroid action.

• Paramanik V., Thakur M.K. (India) Interaction of estrogen receptor associated protein (ERAP) 140 with estrogen receptor beta decreases during aging in mouse brain

Main Lecture

Anne M Etgen (USA) Intracellular signal transduction cascades mediating the behavioral actions of estrogens( Chair: Panzica G.C.)

ESTROGEN-INDUCED NON-CLASSICAL SIGNALING IN THE BRAIN: MECHANISM AND ROLE

(Chairs: Abraham I., Bakker J.)

• Rune G. (Germany) The maintenance of mature dendritic hippocampal spines requires rapid estrogen signaling

• Michevych P., Bondar G., Kuo J., Dominguez R. (USA) Estradiol regulation of membrane estrogen receptor and its role in reproduction

• McMahon L., Smith C.C., Vedder L.C., (USA) Estrogen, NR2b containing NMDA receptors, and LTP at hippocampal synapses

• Abraham I., Zsombor Kőszegi, Éva M Szegő (New Zealand) Mechanism and role of rapid estrogen signaling in basal forebrain cholinergic neurons

• Vegeto E., Maggi A. (Italy) Estrogen and brain inflammation

• Cambiasso M.J., Gorosito S.V. (Argentina) An estrogen receptorα variant located at the cell- surface of hypothalamic neurons is regulated by estradiol

February 17

VITAMIN D THE FORGOTTEN NEUROSTEROID (Chairs: Eyles D.W., Melcangi R.C.)

• Eyles D. W., Burne T, Cui X., Kesby J., Harms L., Ko P., Pelekanos M., McGrath J.J. (Australia) Developmental vitamin D deficiency causes abnormal brain development

• Feron F., Fernandes de Abreu D.A., (France) Vitamin D, a neuro-immunomodulator. Implications for auto-immune and neurodegenerative diseases

• Tuohimaa P., Kalueff A., Keisala T., Minasyan A. (USA) Vitamin D, nervous system and aging

• Grecksch G., Rüthrich H., Höllt V. and Becker A. (Germany) Transient prenatal vitamin d deficiency is associated with changes of synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus in adult rats

Round table II:

Neurosteroids and pregnancy: long term effects on development (Chair: Hirst J.)

• Brunton P.J., Russell J.A. (UK) Opioid inhibition of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis stress responses in pregnancy is induced by allopregnanolone

• Grattan D. R. (NZ) Gonadal steroid modulation of cytokine action in the brain during pregnancy

• Hill M., Pařízek A. (Czech Rep) Biosynthesis and transport of neuroactive steroids in pregnancy

• Matthews S. G. (Canada) Glucocorticoids and transgenerational programming of neuroendocrine function and behaviour

• Biggio G., Murru L., Sanna E., Mostallino M.C. (Italy) Changes in BDNF, Arc and Long-Term Potentiation in the Rat Brain during Pregnancy and after Post-Partum

• Penn A.A., Ermini F., Morgan A.C.A. (USA) Progesterone promotes neural progenitor proliferation in embryonic cortex

• Hirst J.J., McKendry A.A., Kelleher M.A., Walker D.W., Palliser H.K. (Australia) Neurosteroid synthesis in compromised pregnancies: role in neuroprotection.

Luciano Martini Prize Lecture

A.A. Walf (USA) The trophic effects of estradiol and SERMS in the hippocampus and peripheral tissues

February 18th

NEUROSTEROIDS AND GABA-A RECEPTORS (Chairs: Maguire J., Smith S. S.)

• Mennerick S., Akk G., Covey D.F., Evers A.S., Steinbach J.H., Zorumski C.F., (USA) The importance of membrane interactions to neuroactive steroid effects at GABAa receptors

• Zheleznova N., Sedelnikova A., Weiss D.S. (USA) α1β2δ, a silent GABAa receptor: recruitment by tracazolate and neurosteroids

• Smith S. S., Aoki C. and Shen H. (USA) Reversal of neurosteroid effects at GABAa receptor triggers anxiety at puberty in female mice

• Maguire J., Mody I. (USA) Endogenous steroid hormone-mediated changes in GABAa receptors alter neuronal excitability

• Biggio G., Mostallino M.C., Sanna E. (Italy) Plasticity and function of extrasynaptic GABAa receptors during pregnancy and after delivery

• Frye, C.A., Llaneza, D.C., Paris, J.J. (USA) Activational and organizational effects of progesterone for affective and cognitive behavior due to 5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one

Main Lecture

J.J. Lambert (UK) Neurosteroids: neuron specific allosteric modulators of the GABA_A receptor

(Chair: Mensah-Nyagan G.)

PATHOGENETIC MECHANISMS MEDIATED BY GLUCOCORTICOID RECEPTORS IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: FROM BENCH TO CLINICS (Chairs: Gass P., Pariante C.M.)

• Pariante C. M. (UK) Modulation of the glucocorticoid receptor by antidepressants

• Tronche F. (France) Inactivation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene in targeted neuronal populations: new insights on addiction and emotional behaviours

• Binder E.B. (USA) The role of the glucorticoid receptor and its co-chaperones in pathogenesis and therapy of affective disorders

• Ferrier N.I. (UK) Glucocorticoid receptor antagonists in major depression – a new therapeutic avenue?

• Berry A., Carnevale D., Giorgio M., Pelicci P.G., de Kloet E.R., Alleva E., Minghetti L., Cirulli F. (Italy) Greater resistance to psychophysical stress in p66Shc-/- mice, a model of delayed and healthy aging