Medial Preoptic Area
MPOAThe most aromatase-rich region in the male brain. Testosterone is converted to estradiol here before it acts, which means much of what looks like an androgen effect on sexual behaviour is an estrogen effect one step downstream.
Relationships
3 connectionsMedial Preoptic Area stimulates
Estrogen Receptor alpha
The estrogen receptor that dominates breast tissue, liver and the pituitary feedback loop. Gynecomastia and much of the negative feedback on LH run through it.
Libido
Sexual desire. Needs androgen, a workable estradiol level and prolactin that is not elevated, so it fails from several directions at once.
Local Brain Estrogen Synthesis
The brain makes its own estradiol from testosterone, in neurons and astrocytes, independently of what the testes supply. This single fact is why a blood estradiol reading does not tell you what the brain has, and why an aromatase inhibitor is a different kind of intervention from simply having low testosterone.
Beyond this page
Medial Preoptic Area also connects to 1 entry in the applied modules, covering supplements, compounds, hormones and food sources. Those carry the mechanism and the evidence tier behind each link, and they are part of client coaching.
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