SMCM Assistant Professor Tobiansky published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

Assistant Professor Tobiansky published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews Daniel Tobiansky August 14, 2023 - 8:49 am
August 14, 2023

Daniel Tobiansky (assistant professor of neurobiology) and colleagues recently published an article titled, "Neurosteroids and the mesocorticolimbic system" in the high-impact journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.

The paper reviews the most recent and cutting-edge research on how steroid hormones like estrogens or testosterone are quickly made in the brain and affect brain activity. In particular, the paper focuses on the “mesocorticolimbic system” which mediates reward-seeking behavior and other higher cognitive functions like behavioral flexibility. When you hear about a “dopamine hit”, the mesocorticolimbic system is the neural circuitry that provides this “hit”. Research by Tobiansky and his colleagues have found that both estrogens and androgens (testosterone) are synthesized (likely from scratch) in these dopamine-rich regions, and rapidly and persistently change how the organism responds to salient stimuli. They use a method called liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, which remains the gold standard for measuring very low, but biologically important, steroid levels in the brain and the blood. Overall, this paper highlights the importance of steroids for executive functions and motivated behaviors.

 

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Assistant Professor Tobiansky published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews Daniel Tobiansky August 14, 2023 - 8:49 am
August 14, 2023

Daniel Tobiansky (assistant professor of neurobiology) and colleagues recently published an article titled, "Neurosteroids and the mesocorticolimbic system" in the high-impact journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.

The paper reviews the most recent and cutting-edge research on how steroid hormones like estrogens or testosterone are quickly made in the brain and affect brain activity. In particular, the paper focuses on the “mesocorticolimbic system” which mediates reward-seeking behavior and other higher cognitive functions like behavioral flexibility. When you hear about a “dopamine hit”, the mesocorticolimbic system is the neural circuitry that provides this “hit”. Research by Tobiansky and his colleagues have found that both estrogens and androgens (testosterone) are synthesized (likely from scratch) in these dopamine-rich regions, and rapidly and persistently change how the organism responds to salient stimuli. They use a method called liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, which remains the gold standard for measuring very low, but biologically important, steroid levels in the brain and the blood. Overall, this paper highlights the importance of steroids for executive functions and motivated behaviors.

Steroids are used on a wide spectrum for many purposes. The most well known is for medical uise to give the failing human body help with hormonal problems and to enhance the loss of muscle tone from a cancer. This is just to name a few. However, if not used properly there are some negative effects. The use of steroids needs to be monitored closely by a medical professional. There have been some studies which suggest steroid use can be highly addictive. It is very well known to be associated with negative mood changes. Because of this, some medical professionals beleive it has more negative consequences than positive.