Estradiol acts via estrogen receptors alpha and beta on pathways important for synaptic plasticity in the mouse hippocampal formation

▶We examined the effect of estradiol treatment on Akt and BDNF signaling in the mouse hippocampus. ▶Estradiol treatment for 6 h increased pAkt immunoreactivity, whereas estradiol treatment for 48 h increased pTrkB immunoreactivity. ▶Estradiol effects were all blocked by knockout of estrogen receptor beta. ▶Estradiol effects on Akt and TrkB were blocked by knockout of estrogen receptor alpha.