# Estrogenic modulation of neural circuits that control temperature

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2023 · $12,721

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Estrogen withdrawal at menopause is associated with a suite of metabolic, vascular, and neuroendocrine
changes that impact health and quality of life. The most specific symptoms associated with menopause are
vasomotor symptoms, which include hot flashes and night sweats. It is thought that vasomotor symptoms are
caused by fluctuating estrogen levels at the time of the menopausal transition. However, it is unclear how
these changes affect temperature regulation in the brain. Our preliminary data identify a thermoregulatory role
for neurons that express estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) in the medial preoptic area (MPO) of the
hypothalamus, a potent temperature sensor and regulator. We hypothesize that ERalpha signaling in the MPO
modulates the activity of thermoregulatory neural circuits. To test this hypothesis, we propose the following
specific aims: 1) Define the thermoregulatory role of ERalpha+ neurons and ERalpha signaling in the MPO, 2) Dissect
the neural circuitry that mediates estrogen-induced changes in heat dissipation and generation, and 3)
determine the transcriptional effects of estrogen signaling in thermoregulatory ERalpha+ neurons. Together these
studies will dissect the effects of estrogens on temperature regulation at the level of circuits, neurons, and
gene expression. This mechanistic approach is essential for understanding how estrogens alter body
temperature and is a necessary first step toward identifying new non-hormonal therapies for hot flashes and
other vasomotor symptoms.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10884633
- **Project number:** 3R01AG066821-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Stephanie Correa
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $12,721
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10884633

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10884633, Estrogenic modulation of neural circuits that control temperature (3R01AG066821-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10884633. Licensed CC0.

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