Brain-targeted estradiol therapy for stress-related mental health in Veterans
Official title: Estradiol treatment of stress-related psychiatric disorders in Veterans
Funded at Baltimore VA Medical Center · NIH-11264819 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are developing a brain-targeted form of estradiol to help Veterans with depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baltimore VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006018-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11264819 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be Veterans with stress-related disorders such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD, especially those who have not responded to existing treatments.
✕Less likely to help
People without stress-related psychiatric conditions or whose symptoms are driven by non-hormonal causes are unlikely to benefit from this work in the near term.
What this research studies
Researchers discovered in mice that estradiol produced in the brain affects how males respond to stress and that controlled brain estradiol can act like an antidepressant. They are working with a prodrug called DHED that converts to estradiol only in the brain to avoid hormone side effects elsewhere in the body, but DHED currently has poor oral availability. This project aims to improve brain delivery of DHED or similar compounds and to map the brain circuits involved in stress-related symptoms. The work is based at the Baltimore VA with the goal of translating these findings into treatments for Veterans in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce a brain-only estradiol treatment that reduces depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms while minimizing peripheral hormone side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Early animal studies of brain-targeted estradiol and prodrugs like DHED have shown promise, but this approach remains largely preclinical and unproven in people.
Where this research is happening
-
Baltimore VA Medical Center
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gould, Todd D — Baltimore VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Gould, Todd D
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.