• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
The Brain Health Magazine
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Brain Health Magazine
No Result
View All Result

Hormones and Brain Function

What happens when hormones go haywire

in Brain Function, Hormones, Mental Health
January 26, 2022
0
Hormones and Brain Function

By Dr. Shane Steadman

Most people understand changes in hormones can cause changes in brain function. These changes most often affect a person’s mood and libido, but hormones vastly impact the metabolic function and brain. When the topic of hormones is mentioned, many people only think about estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. But many other hormones, such as cortisol, thyroid hormone, DHEA, and insulin — just to name a few — influence our brains. Hormones are involved in neurochemistry, neurotransmitters, and neuroinflammation. They also control and regulate  many functions in the brain. An important note is the brain sends signals that tell your body when to produce hormones and how much to produce. This brain/body interplay is seen daily in how we interact with others and our environment. When disruption of this interplay takes place, it affects our relationship with others, the ability to focus, development, and the aging process.

When hormonal imbalance occurs, people often describe symptoms such as brain fog, migraines, decreased sleep, decreased memory, depression, and anxiety. Finding the cause of hormonal imbalance can be difficult and often involves a long list of possibilities to choose from. The cause of hormonal imbalances can range from stress, infections, liver dysfunction, or gut dysfunction to dysglycemia. The big picture is that everything can influence hormones, and hormones affect every cell in the body.

Inflammation

Inflammation, commonly referred to as brain fog, is the most common complaint described after car accidents, TBIs, stress, hypothyroid conditions, diabetes, and more. Hormones have a significant impact on microglia cells in the brain. Microglial cells are part of the neuroinflammatory process, which can be seen with events like brain injuries and processes that activate the immune system.

Certain hormones play a role in immune modulation, or act as an anti-inflammatory. . Evidence suggests  estrogen, one of the more common hormones associated with modulating inflammation, plays a part in reducing microglial activities and modulating inflammation in the brain. This example can be seen during menopause when estrogen levels fluctuate or decrease, causing brain fog and decreasing memory during those years.

In addition, studies show  progesterone can be neuroprotective. whereas high cortisol can lead to neuroinflammation. Hormones are much like “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”: Too much or too little can cause inflammation. Hormones need to be just right.

Neurotransmitter

Hormones impact  different neurotransmitters in the brain. For example, progesterone can have a positive impact on GABA and dopamine — In other words, progesterone can influence moods including anxiety and depression. Estrogen positively affects  serotonin, and testosterone affects dopamine. Other hormones, such as thyroid hormone, can impact a wide range of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, GABA, serotonin, glutamate, and acetylcholine. Therefore, those suffering from hypothyroid usually complain of  memory problems, anxiety, depression, brain fog,  and brain fatigue. With this understanding, understanding how hormone imbalances can cause so many neurological symptoms is easy.

Hormones are very influential on brain function. As mentioned earlier, hormones can impact microglial cells, inflammation, and neurotransmitters. They can also impact  the hippocampus,  which works with  memory and the amygdala, which  influences mood and anxiety, neuron signaling, and neurodevelopment in infants. Too often in medicine, hormones are placed in a box and not evaluated with other systems. Hormones need to be evaluated in conditions such as neurodegenerative disorders (i.e., Parkinson’s and dementia), TBIs, and even psychiatric disorders.Experts use different approaches for testing, evaluating, and treating hormone problems. Within each approach, understanding the brain-hormone interplay and how supporting hormones can positively impact brain function are important.

Dr. Shane Steadman, DC, DACNB, DCBCN, CNS, is the owner and clinic director of Integrated Brain Centers. To learn more about how they can help with concussions, stroke, and TBIs, please visit www.integratedbraincenters.com. For a free consultation, please call 303-781-5617.

 

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare Via EmailPinterest
Next Post
The Spoon Theory and Having a Traumatic Brain Injury

The Spoon Theory and Having a Traumatic Brain Injury

SIGN UP

BLOG

Yoga: Seated Cobra Pose

Yoga: Seated Cobra Pose

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Yoga is a powerful tool for neuroplasticity. Contrary to some beliefs, everyone can do yoga — you don’t need to be super flexible, be able to balance, or even be able to stand up. The beauty of yoga is every pose can be modified to accommodate anyone. An important aspect of […]

Read more
Resilience After a Brain Injury

Resilience After a Brain Injury

By Dr. Shane Steadman, DC, DACNB, DCBCN, CNS Recovery after a brain injury can be a long journey. Working hard and hoping to get back to baseline often can be frustrating, and for some, unattainable. With the many doctor visits, exercises, rehab appointments, medications, and supplements, goals can become lost. However, amid recovering from a […]

Read more
The Resiliency of the Human Brain and Body

The Resiliency of the Human Brain and Body

By James A. Heuer, PA As a personal injury attorney for over 45 years, I have witnessed many of my clients successfully recover from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Whether the TBI occurs from a car crash, a slip and fall, or blow to the head, the resiliency of the human body and brain is […]

Read more
Resiliency: Is It Just Personal or Part of Brain Chemistry?

Resiliency: Is It Just Personal or Part of Brain Chemistry?

By Deborah Zelinsky, O.D. The term resiliency encompasses “the range of personal protective factors, environmental supports, and resources, as well as self-regulatory processes, engaged in response to adversity,” according to investigators writing about recovery from traumatic brain injury (TBI) for the publication Disability and Rehabilitation. Indeed, author Mike Norton  said it best when he wrote, […]

Read more
Stress Away Essential Oil

Stress Away Essential Oil

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief A complementary tool that can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle, essential oils are easy to use and smell great, with a variety of uses. All oils are not created equal. I personally only trust the Young Living brand because I know they maintain complete control over their product from seed […]

Read more
Resiliency and the Courtroom

Resiliency and the Courtroom

By Jeff Heller Resiliency is one of the greatest attributes anyone can have. From an early age, parents teach their children, “if you get knocked down, you get back up.” Coaches teach their players, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And one of the cornerstones of the underdog mentality is to “never […]

Read more
The Quality of Resilience

The Quality of Resilience

by Shauna Hahn Sometime in 2019, in the weekly “Healing and Recovery” therapy group I lead, we discussed the topic of the quality of “resilience.” When it came time for a patient to contribute, he said, “I don’t want to be resilient. I get tired of being resilient all the f**king time.” And I heard […]

Read more
Peanut Butter Protein Fluff

Peanut Butter Protein Fluff

By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief What You Need: 1 cup (250g) full-fat Greek yogurt 2 tbsp. peanut butter or almond butter 2 tsp. stevia Favorite garnish (banana, granola, blueberries) Add the yogurt, nut butter and stevia into a small mixing bowl and whisk together using a hand mixer, until fluffy. Transfer the mix into a bowl […]

Read more
Arizona Man Overcomes Three Traumatic Brain Injuries and Gives Back By Building Adaptive Recreation & Socialization Program for Survivors

Arizona Man Overcomes Three Traumatic Brain Injuries and Gives Back By Building Adaptive Recreation & Socialization Program for Survivors

By Ed Roth Randy Elston is finally living his best life, which may be an odd thing to say about a Marine Corps veteran with three traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Recently named as the Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona’s new Adaptive Recreation & Activities Coordinator, Randy’s tours of duty in Iraq left him with a […]

Read more

INSTAGRAM

Follow Us!

    The Instagram Access Token is expired, Go to the Customizer > JNews : Social, Like & View > Instagram Feed Setting, to refresh it.

© Copyright 2019 | The Brain Health Magazine

  • Advertise With Us
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Contact Us

DISCLAIMER: THIS MAGAZINE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE - View PDF

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Archives
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.