PET and SPECT imaging of steroid hormone receptors in the brain

Abstract

Steroid hormones, like sex hormones and corticosteroids, are involved in normal brain function. They can influence behavior and higher functions via binding to the corresponding hormone receptors. Steroid hormones also play a crucial role in psychiatric disorders by interacting with different neurotransmitter systems in the brain. Most of the studies in this field have been performed on postmortem tissue of animals and humans. However, noninvasive techniques could provide new insight into the role that steroid hormones play in normal and pathological brain function. PET and SPECT are techniques that allow noninvasive quantitative analysis of the expression of steroid hormone receptors. This chapter will briefly explain the role of steroid hormones in physiological and pathological conditions and provide an overview of the available PET and SPECT imaging methods that could be used to study the role steroid hormones and their receptors in the brain.