The brain is an endocrine organ and sex hormones' influence on the central nervous system can be measured across spatio-temporal scales. In many mammalian species, sex hormones regulate cell survival, plasticity, and the global morphology of brain regions that support learning and memory. The Jacobs Lab explores the structural and functional changes in the human brain that occur in response to changing hormonal conditions. The lab pairs brain imaging tools with endocrine assessments to study how endogenous and exogenous hormonal factors (e.g. neuroendocrine aging during menopause, pharmacological manipulations of sex hormones) influence aspects of brain structure, function, and cognition in women and men.
Key Research Areas:
Neuroendocrinology, Menopause, Pregnancy, Precision Neuroimaging, Plasticity, Brain Structure, Brain Function
