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HPG Axis and Cognition

Meaning

This refers to the interconnected regulatory relationship between the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis—the primary system governing reproductive hormones—and its influence on cognitive function, including memory, executive function, and mood. Sex steroids like testosterone and estrogen, produced downstream of this axis, are potent neurosteroids that modulate synaptic plasticity, neurotransmitter systems, and cerebral blood flow. Optimal HPG axis function is essential for maintaining cognitive vitality throughout the lifespan, with age-related decline in these hormones contributing to neurocognitive changes.