Saleki Kiarash, Banazadeh Mohammad, Saghazadeh Amene, Rezaei Nima
Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, 47176 47745 Babol, Iran.
USERN Office, Babol University of Medical Sciences, 47176 47745 Babol, Iran.
Rev Neurosci. 2022 Aug 26;34(3):247-273. doi: 10.1515/revneuro-2022-0033. Print 2023 Apr 25.
Neuroplasticity or neural plasticity implicates the adaptive potential of the brain in response to extrinsic and intrinsic stimuli. The concept has been utilized in different contexts such as injury and neurological disease. Neuroplasticity mechanisms have been classified into neuroregenerative and function-restoring processes. In the context of injury, neuroplasticity has been defined in three post-injury epochs. Testosterone plays a key yet double-edged role in the regulation of several neuroplasticity alterations. Research has shown that testosterone levels are affected by numerous factors such as age, stress, surgical procedures on gonads, and pharmacological treatments. There is an ongoing debate for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in aging men; however, TRT is more useful in young individuals with testosterone deficit and more specific subgroups with cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, it is important to pay early attention to testosterone profile and precisely uncover its harms and benefits. In the present review, we discuss the influence of environmental factors, aging, and gender on testosterone-associated alterations in neuroplasticity, as well as the two-sided actions of testosterone in the nervous system. Finally, we provide practical insights for further study of pharmacological treatments for hormonal disorders focusing on restoring neuroplasticity.
神经可塑性或神经可塑性意味着大脑在应对外在和内在刺激时的适应性潜力。这一概念已在诸如损伤和神经系统疾病等不同情境中得到应用。神经可塑性机制已被分为神经再生和功能恢复过程。在损伤的背景下，神经可塑性已在损伤后的三个时期被定义。睾酮在几种神经可塑性改变的调节中起着关键但具有双刃剑性质的作用。研究表明，睾酮水平受多种因素影响，如年龄、压力、性腺手术以及药物治疗。关于老年男性的睾酮替代疗法（TRT）存在持续的争论；然而，TRT在睾酮缺乏的年轻个体以及有认知功能障碍的更特定亚组中更有用。因此，尽早关注睾酮状况并精确揭示其危害和益处很重要。在本综述中，我们讨论环境因素、衰老和性别对与睾酮相关的神经可塑性改变的影响，以及睾酮在神经系统中的双向作用。最后，我们为进一步研究针对激素紊乱的药物治疗以恢复神经可塑性提供实用见解。
