Abstract
Steroid hormones like estrogens, progestins, androgens, and corticosteroids are involved in normal brain function. They are able to exert both neuroprotective and neurotrophic effects. In addition, steroid hormones play a crucial role in mood disorders by interacting with different neurotransmitter systems in the brain. Steroid hormones produce their physiological effects by binding to their corresponding hormone receptors. To better understand the role of steroid hormones, knowledge of the expression of steroid hormone receptors in the brain may provide important insights. In animal experiments, it is possible to perform invasive measurement of steroid hormone receptors both in healthy and in pathological conditions, but noninvasive measurement of steroid receptors in the brain is required in humans. PET and SPECT are techniques that may allow noninvasive measurements of the expression of steroid hormone receptors. This chapter addresses the role of steroid hormone receptors in both physiological and pathological conditions and provides an overview of the current status of PET and SPECT imaging methods for steroid hormone receptors.
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