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Salinero AE, Abi-Ghanem C, Venkataganesh H, Sura A, Smith RM, Thrasher CA, Kelly RD, Hatcher KM, NyBlom V, Shamlian V, Kyaw NR, Belanger KM, Gannon OJ, Stephens SBZ, Zuloaga DG, Zuloaga KL. Treatment with brain specific estrogen prodrug ameliorates cognitive effects of surgical menopause in mice. Horm Behav 2024; 164:105594. [PMID: 38917776 PMCID: PMC11330726 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Menopause is an endocrine shift leading to increased vulnerability for cognitive impairment and dementia risk factors, in part due to loss of neuroprotective circulating estrogens. Systemic replacement of estrogen post-menopause has limitations, including risk for estrogen-sensitive cancers. A promising therapeutic approach therefore might be to deliver estrogen only to the brain. We examined whether we could enhance cognitive performance by delivering estrogen exclusively to the brain in ovariectomized mice (a surgical menopause model). We treated mice with the prodrug 10β,17β-dihydroxyestra-1,4-dien-3-one (DHED), which can be administered systemically but is converted to 17β-estradiol only in the brain. Young and middle-aged C57BL/6 J mice received ovariectomy and subcutaneous implant containing vehicle or DHED and underwent cognitive testing to assess memory after 1-3.5 months of treatment. Low and medium doses of DHED did not alter metabolic status in middle-aged mice. In both age groups, DHED treatment improved spatial memory in ovariectomized mice. Additional testing in middle-aged mice showed that DHED treatment improved working and recognition memory in ovariectomized mice. These results lay the foundation for future studies determining if this intervention is as efficacious in models of dementia with comorbid risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E Salinero
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Charly Abi-Ghanem
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Harini Venkataganesh
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Avi Sura
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Rachel M Smith
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Christina A Thrasher
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Richard D Kelly
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Katherine M Hatcher
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Vanessa NyBlom
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA; Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience Research, State University of New York at Albany, 1400 Washington Ave, Biology 325, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Victoria Shamlian
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Nyi-Rein Kyaw
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Kasey M Belanger
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Olivia J Gannon
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Shannon B Z Stephens
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Damian G Zuloaga
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience Research, State University of New York at Albany, 1400 Washington Ave, Biology 325, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Kristen L Zuloaga
- Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, 47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-136, Albany, NY 12208, USA.
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Lymer J, Bergman H, Yang S, Mallick R, Galea LAM, Choleris E, Fergusson D. The effects of estrogens on spatial learning and memory in female rodents - A systematic review and meta-analysis. Horm Behav 2024; 164:105598. [PMID: 38968677 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Estrogens have inconsistent effects on learning and memory in both the clinical and preclinical literature. Preclinical literature has the advantage of investigating an array of potentially important factors contributing to the varied effects of estrogens on learning and memory, with stringently controlled studies. This study set out to identify specific factors in the animal literature that influence the effects of estrogens on cognition, for possible translation back to clinical practice. The literature was screened and studies meeting strict inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. Eligible studies included female ovariectomized rodents with an adequate vehicle for the estrogen treatment, with an outcome of spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze. Training days of the Morris water maze were used to assess acquisition of spatial learning, and the probe trial was used to evaluate spatial memory recall. Continuous outcomes were pooled using a random effects inverse variance method and reported as standardized mean differences with 95 % confidence intervals. Subgroup analyses were developed a priori to assess important factors. The overall analysis favoured treatment for the later stages of training and for the probe trial. Factors including the type of estrogen, route, schedule of administration, age of animals, timing relative to ovariectomy, and duration of treatment were all found to be important. The subgroup analyses showed that chronic treatment with 17β-estradiol, either cyclically or continuously, to young animals improved spatial recall. These results, observed in animals, can inform and guide further clinical research on hormone replacement therapy for cognitive benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Lymer
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Hailey Bergman
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Sabrina Yang
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | | | - Liisa A M Galea
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
| | - Dean Fergusson
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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3
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DeLarge AF, Stanley MJ, Daniel JM. Female mice lacking membrane estrogen receptor alpha display impairments in spatial memory. Horm Behav 2024; 164:105597. [PMID: 38944999 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Estrogens exert effects on cognition by acting on estrogen receptors (ER) including ERα. Activation of nuclear ERα results in classical genomic signaling leading to transcriptional changes that occur over hours to days. In contrast, activation of ERα localized to the membrane results in rapid signaling with effects occurring in seconds to minutes. The goal of the current study was to determine the role of membrane ERα in spatial memory. Female wildtype (WT) and transgenic mice that lack membrane ERα and express nuclear only ERα (NOER) were trained on an eight-arm radial-maze task. Following training, mice were tested on delay trials, in which delays ranging from 30 min to 5 h were inserted between the 4th and 5th arm choices. Performance was measured by number of proactive and retroactive errors. Proactive errors are short-term working memory errors defined by reentries into arms previously visited during the post-delay period or errors made during the pre-delay period. Retroactive errors are delay-dependent memory errors, defined as reentries into arms during the post-delay that were previously visited during the pre-delay. Consistent with a role for membrane ERα in rapid signaling, NOER mice made more proactive errors than WTs across all delays. NOER mice made more retroactive errors than WTs only after the 5-h delay. WT and NOER mice performed similarly on elevated plus maze and open field tests indicating no effects of membrane ERα on anxiety-related behavior or locomotor activity. Results reveal that membrane ERα plays important roles in both short-term and longer-term delay-dependent memory either directly or potentially indirectly through a role in the regulation of estradiol levels via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa F DeLarge
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, United States of America; Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, United States of America.
| | - Marcella J Stanley
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, United States of America; Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, United States of America
| | - Jill M Daniel
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, United States of America; Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, United States of America; Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, United States of America
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Geraci F, Passiatore R, Penzel N, Laudani S, Bertolino A, Blasi G, Graziano ACE, Kikidis GC, Mazza C, Parihar M, Rampino A, Sportelli L, Trevisan N, Drago F, Papaleo F, Sambataro F, Pergola G, Leggio GM. Sex dimorphism controls dysbindin-related cognitive dysfunctions in mice and humans with the contribution of COMT. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02527-3. [PMID: 38532008 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02527-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunctions are core-enduring symptoms of schizophrenia, with important sex-related differences. Genetic variants of the DTBPN1 gene associated with reduced dysbindin-1 protein (Dys) expression negatively impact cognitive functions in schizophrenia through a functional epistatic interaction with Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). Dys is involved in the trafficking of dopaminergic receptors, crucial for prefrontal cortex (PFC) signaling regulation. Moreover, dopamine signaling is modulated by estrogens via inhibition of COMT expression. We hypothesized a sex dimorphism in Dys-related cognitive functions dependent on COMT and estrogen levels. Our multidisciplinary approach combined behavioral-molecular findings on genetically modified mice, human postmortem Dys expression data, and in vivo fMRI during a working memory task performance. We found cognitive impairments in male mice related to genetic variants characterized by reduced Dys protein expression (pBonferroni = 0.0001), as well as in male humans through a COMT/Dys functional epistatic interaction involving PFC brain activity during working memory (t(23) = -3.21; pFDR = 0.004). Dorsolateral PFC activity was associated with lower working memory performance in males only (p = 0.04). Also, male humans showed decreased Dys expression in dorsolateral PFC during adulthood (pFDR = 0.05). Female Dys mice showed preserved cognitive performances with deficits only with a lack of estrogen tested in an ovariectomy model (pBonferroni = 0.0001), suggesting that genetic variants reducing Dys protein expression could probably become functional in females when the protective effect of estrogens is attenuated, i.e., during menopause. Overall, our results show the differential impact of functional variants of the DTBPN1 gene interacting with COMT on cognitive functions across sexes in mice and humans, underlying the importance of considering sex as a target for patient stratification and precision medicine in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Geraci
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Roberta Passiatore
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, 21205, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nora Penzel
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Samuele Laudani
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Alessandro Bertolino
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
- Psychiatric Unit - University Hospital, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Blasi
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
- Psychiatric Unit - University Hospital, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Adriana C E Graziano
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Gianluca C Kikidis
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, 21205, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ciro Mazza
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Madhur Parihar
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, 21205, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Antonio Rampino
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
- Psychiatric Unit - University Hospital, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Leonardo Sportelli
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, 21205, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 GD, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nicolò Trevisan
- Department of Neuroscience (DNS), University of Padova, 35121, Padova, Italy
| | - Filippo Drago
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Neuroscience area, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Fabio Sambataro
- Department of Neuroscience (DNS), University of Padova, 35121, Padova, Italy
| | - Giulio Pergola
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and Neuroscience, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, 21205, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 21205, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gian Marco Leggio
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123, Catania, Italy.
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Shirzadi S, Dadgostar M, Einalou Z, Erdoğan SB, Akin A. Sex based differences in functional connectivity during a working memory task: an fNIRS study. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1207202. [PMID: 38390414 PMCID: PMC10881810 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1207202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Differences in corticocerebral structure and function between males and females and their effects on behavior and the prevalence of various neuropsychiatric disorders have been considered as a fundamental topic in various fields of neuroscience. Recent studies on working memory (WM) reported the impact of sex on brain connectivity patterns, which reflect the important role of functional connectivity in the sex topic. Working memory, one of the most important cognitive tasks performed by regions of the PFC, can provide evidence regarding the presence of a difference between males and females. The present study aimed to assess sex differences in brain functional connectivity during working memory-related tasks by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). In this regard, nine males and nine females completed a dual n-back working memory task with two target inputs of color and location stimuli in three difficulty levels (n = 0, 1, 2). Functional connectivity matrices were extracted for each subject for each memory load level. Females made less errors than males while spending more time performing the task for all workload levels except in 0-back related to the color stimulus, where the reaction time of females was shorter than males. The results of functional connectivity reveal the inverse behavior of two hemispheres at different memory workload levels between males and females. In the left hemisphere, males exhibited stronger connectivity compared to the females, while stronger connectivity was observed in the females' right hemisphere. Furthermore, an inverse trend was detected in the channel pairs with significant connectivity in the right hemisphere of males (falling) and females (rising) by enhancing working memory load level. Considering both behavioral and functional results for two sexes demonstrated a better performance in females due to the more effective use of the brain. The results indicate that sex affects functional connectivity between different areas in both hemispheres of the brain during cognitive tasks of varying difficulty levels although the general impression is that spatial capabilities are considered as a performance of the brain's right hemisphere. These results reinforce the presence of a sex effect in the functional imaging studies of hemodynamic function and emphasize the importance of evaluating brain network connectivity for achieving a better scientific understanding of sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sima Shirzadi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Dadgostar
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Zahra Einalou
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Sinem Burcu Erdoğan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Ata Akin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Türkiye
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6
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Tulsyan KK, Manna S, Ahluwalia H. Change in auditory and visuospatial working memory with phases of menstrual cycle: A prospective study of three consecutive cycles. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2023:1-6. [PMID: 37934675 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2023.2279210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
The menstrual cycle is a well-known physiological model used to study working memory (WM) function. The present study examined auditory and visuospatial WM during proliferative and secretory phases of three consecutive menstrual cycles.Forty young adult females with a mean age of 23.4 ± 4.2 years and a history of regular menstrual cycle were selected for this study. Computerized software-based dual-task n-back WM tasks were performed by each participant during the proliferative (day 10th - 14th) and secretory phases (day 21st - 25th) of the menstrual cycle. The above tasks were repeated for three consecutive menstrual cycles during follow-up.Data from the three menstrual cycles were pooled and compared between the proliferative and secretory phases. Significant differences were observed in the hit rate (p = 0.006), Z score (p = 0.004) and parametric sensitivity (p = 0.005) of visuospatial targets and Z score (p = 0.037) and parametric sensitivity (p = 0.028) of auditory targets with better performance during the secretory phase. However, no significant differences were found across the three proliferative or three secretory phases, indicating that the results were consistent across consecutive cycles.This study concluded that visuospatial and auditory WM skills were significantly improved during the secretory phase compared to the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Soumen Manna
- Department of Physiology, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Himani Ahluwalia
- Department of Physiology, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
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7
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Seib DR, Tobiansky DJ, Meitzen J, Floresco SB, Soma KK. Neurosteroids and the mesocorticolimbic system. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105356. [PMID: 37567491 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
The mesocorticolimbic system coordinates executive functions, such as working memory and behavioral flexibility. This circuit includes dopaminergic projections from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex. In this review, we summarize evidence that cells in multiple nodes of the mesocorticolimbic system produce neurosteroids (steroids synthesized in the nervous system) and express steroid receptors. Here, we focus on neuroandrogens (androgens synthesized in the nervous system), neuroestrogens (estrogens synthesized in the nervous system), and androgen and estrogen receptors. We also summarize how (neuro)androgens and (neuro)estrogens affect dopamine signaling in the mesocorticolimbic system and regulate executive functions. Taken together, the data suggest that steroids produced in the gonads and locally in the brain modulate higher-order cognition and executive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Désirée R Seib
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Daniel J Tobiansky
- Department of Biology and Neuroscience Program, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, USA
| | - John Meitzen
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Human Health and the Environment, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kiran K Soma
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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8
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Klann IP, Fulco BCW, Nogueira CW. Subchronic exposure to Tamoxifen modulates the hippocampal BDNF/ERK/Akt/CREB pathway and impairs memory in intact female rats. Chem Biol Interact 2023; 382:110615. [PMID: 37392961 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Tamoxifen (TAM), a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM), is commonly used to treat and prevent breast cancer. Memory impairment has been noticed in patients who experience hormone therapy in the case of TAM and other SERMs. Animal studies that mimic the TAM longer exposure effects are needed to better elucidate the adverse effects of continuous treatment in humans. This study evaluated the effects of TAM subchronic administration on the memory performance and hippocampal neural plasticity of intact female Wistar rats. Animals were treated intragastrically with TAM (0.25 and 2.5 mg/kg) for 59 days. The rats were subjected to the Object Location Test (OLT) and Object Recognition Test (ORT) to evaluate memory performance. After euthanasia, the hippocampus samples were excised and the protein levels of the BDNF/ERK/Akt/CREB pathway were evaluated. The rat's locomotor activity and hippocampal TrkB levels were similar among the experimental groups. TAM at both doses reduced the memory performance of female rats in the OLT and short-term memory of ORT, and impaired hippocampal levels of mBDNF, proBDNF, and pCREB/CREB. TAM only at the dose of 2.5 mg/kg reduced the memory performance of rats in the long-term memory of ORT and hippocampal pERK/ERK and pAkt/Akt ratios. TAM subchronic administration induced amnesic effects and modulated the hippocampal BDNF/ERK/Akt/CREB pathway in intact young adult female Wistar rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella P Klann
- Laboratório de Síntese, Reatividade e Avaliação Farmacológica e Toxicológica de Organocalcogênios, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Bruna C W Fulco
- Laboratório de Síntese, Reatividade e Avaliação Farmacológica e Toxicológica de Organocalcogênios, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Cristina W Nogueira
- Laboratório de Síntese, Reatividade e Avaliação Farmacológica e Toxicológica de Organocalcogênios, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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9
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Torbaghan ME, Moghimi A, Kobravi HR, Fereidoni M, Bigdeli I. Effect of stress on spatial working memory and EEG signal dynamics in the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle in young single girls. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e3166. [PMID: 37488720 PMCID: PMC10498068 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Women undergo behavioral changes during the menstrual cycle. This study aimed to investigate the effect of estradiol (Es) on stress and effect of stress on spatial working memory (WM) and also to investigate electroencephalogram (EEG) signal's dynamics in the early and late follicular (EF and LF) and luteal (LU) phases of unmarried girls' menstrual cycle. METHODS Stress was induced by presentation of a short (3 min) movie clip. Simultaneous with a memory test and stress induction, EEG, serum Es levels, and galvanic skin response (GSR) were assessed. RESULTS Serum Es concentrations were decreased in LF, LU, and EF phases. The mean GSR score decreased after stress induction in all three phases, but it increased in the LF and LU phases versus the EF phase. Spatial WM diminished after stress induction in all three phases, but it increased in the LF phase versus the two phases before and after stress induction. Average power spectrum density in all frequency bands increased after stress induction in the frontal and prefrontal channels in the spatial WM test. CONCLUSION The results showed that stress led to spatial WM dysfunction; however, Es improved spatial WM performance in the LF phase versus the other two phases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ali Moghimi
- Rayan Research Center for Neuroscience & Behavior, Department of Biology, Faculty of ScienceFerdowsi University of MashhadMashhadIran
| | - Hamid Reza Kobravi
- Research Center of Biomedical Engineering, Mashhad BranchIslamic Azad UniversityMashhadIran
| | - Masoud Fereidoni
- Rayan Research Center for Neuroscience & Behavior, Department of Biology, Faculty of ScienceFerdowsi University of MashhadMashhadIran
| | - Imanollah Bigdeli
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and PsychologyFerdowsi University of MashhadMashhadIran
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10
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Bernaud VE, Koebele SV, Northup-Smith SN, Willeman MN, Barker C, Schatzki-Lumpkin A, Sanchez MV, Bimonte-Nelson HA. Evaluations of memory, anxiety, and the growth factor IGF-1R after post-surgical menopause treatment with a highly selective progestin. Behav Brain Res 2023; 448:114442. [PMID: 37085118 PMCID: PMC11105077 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Progestogens are a key component of menopausal hormone therapies. While some progestogens can be detrimental to cognition, there is preclinical evidence that progestogens with a strong progesterone-receptor affinity benefit some molecular mechanisms believed to underlie cognitive function. Thus, a progestin that maximizes progesterone-receptor affinity and minimizes affinities to other receptors may be cognitively beneficial. We evaluated segesterone-acetate (SGA), a 19-norprogesterone derivative with a strong progesterone-receptor affinity and no androgenic or estrogenic-receptor activity, hypothesizing that it would enhance cognition. Middle-aged rats underwent Sham or Ovariectomy (Ovx) surgery followed by administration of medroxyprogesterone-acetate (MPA; used as a positive control as we have previously shown MPA-induced cognitive deficits), SGA (low or high dose), or vehicle (one Sham and one Ovx group). Spatial working and reference memory, delayed retention, and anxiety-like behavior were assessed, as were memory- and hormone- related protein assays within the frontal cortex, dorsal hippocampus, and entorhinal cortex. Low-dose SGA impaired spatial working memory, while high-dose SGA had a more extensive detrimental impact, negatively affecting spatial reference memory and delayed retention. Replicating previous findings, MPA impaired spatial reference memory and delayed retention. SGA, but not MPA, alleviated Ovx-induced anxiety-like behaviors. On two working memory measures, IGF-1R expression correlated with better working memory only in rats without hormone manipulation; any hormone manipulation or combination of hormone manipulations used herein altered this relationship. These findings suggest that SGA impairs spatial cognition after surgical menopause, and that surgical menopause with or without progestin administration disrupts relationships between a growth factor critical to neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria E Bernaud
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, 950 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, 4745 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014, USA
| | - Stephanie V Koebele
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, 950 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, 4745 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014, USA
| | - Steven N Northup-Smith
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, 950 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, 4745 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014, USA
| | - Mari N Willeman
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, 950 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, 4745 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014, USA; TGen Institute, 445 N 5th St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Charlotte Barker
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, 950 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, 4745 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014, USA
| | - Alex Schatzki-Lumpkin
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, 950 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, 4745 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014, USA
| | - Maria Valenzuela Sanchez
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, 950 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, 4745 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014, USA
| | - Heather A Bimonte-Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, 950 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, 4745 N 7th St, Phoenix, AZ 85014, USA.
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11
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A Mid-Cycle Rise in Positive and Drop in Negative Moods among Healthy Young Women: A Pilot Study. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13010105. [PMID: 36672085 PMCID: PMC9856962 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13010105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinically oriented studies of mood as a function of the menstrual cycle mainly address the negative moods in the premenstrual phase of the cycle. However, a periovulatory increase in positive emotions and motivations related to reproduction has also been noted. Thus, it has been suggested that the drop in mood during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle might be a byproduct of elevated positive moods occurring mid-cycle. The aim of this prospective study was to compare both the positive and negative dimensions of mood across the menstrual cycle. A group of 60 healthy, normally cycling women assessed their mood throughout three phases of their menstrual cycles: the early follicular (low estradiol and progesterone), the late follicular (fertile phase; high estradiol, low progesterone) and the mid-luteal phase (high levels of both estradiol and progesterone). Repeated MANOVA evaluations showed a significant increase in positive (friendly, cheerful, focused, active) and a significant decrease in negative (anxious, depressed, fatigued, hostile) dimensions of mood mid-cycle, i.e., during the late follicular phase (η2 = 0.072−0.174, p < 0.05). Contrary to the widespread belief that negative moods are characteristic of the luteal phase (preceding the onset of the next cycle), the post hoc Bonferroni tests showed that none of the mood dimensions differed between the mid-luteal and early follicular phases of the cycle. The results held when controlling for relationship status and order of testing. This pattern of fluctuations is in accordance with the ovulatory-shift hypothesis, i.e., the notion that the emotions of attraction rise during a short window during which the conception is likely.
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12
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Oughli HA, Nguyen SA, Siddarth P, Fox M, Milillo M, Ercoli L, Lavretsky H. The Effect of Cumulative Lifetime Estrogen Exposure on Cognition in Depressed Versus Non-Depressed Older Women. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2022; 35:832-839. [PMID: 35410535 PMCID: PMC9574476 DOI: 10.1177/08919887221090216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Two-thirds of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease are women. Declining estrogen levels influence mood and cognition. Cumulative lifetime estrogen exposure (CLEE) correlates with cognition later in life. We examined the relationship of CLEE to depression and cognition in older women with major depression compared to non-depressed women. DESIGN Older women (age ≥60 years) with depression were compared to non-depressed women using a lifetime estrogen exposure questionnaire. CLEE was defined as combined durations of reproductive span (age of menopause minus age of menarche) and any post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy use. Higher vs lower CLEE groups were based on a median of 474 months of estrogen exposure. SETTING University hospital outpatient research program. PARTICIPANTS 135 women ≥60 years; 64 depressed and 71 non-depressed. MEASURMENTS Participants completed a comprehensive cognitive test battery. General linear models were used to examine the association between cognitive domain scores and CLEE in depressed and non-depressed women, controlling for age, education, and ethnicity. RESULTS Depressed and non-depressed groups had significantly different levels of CLEE, measured in months: mean 495.7 (SD 108.6) vs 456.4 (SD 66.0) months, F(1,130) = 5.01, p = .03. Within the non-depressed participants, higher CLEE was associated with improved delayed recall (F(1,59) = 5.94, p = .02, effect size = .61), while no such relationship was observed in the depressed group. CONCLUSION Higher CLEE was associated with improvement in delayed recall among non-depressed, but not among depressed participants. This suggests a protective role of estrogen on memory in non-depressed older postmenopausal women. Further research should examine the role of the CLEE in antidepressant response and cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanadi Ajam Oughli
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sarah A. Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Prabha Siddarth
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Molly Fox
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michaela Milillo
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Linda Ercoli
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Helen Lavretsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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13
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Wattanathorn J, Somboonporn W, Thukham-Mee W, Sungkamnee S. Memory-Enhancing Effect of 8-Week Consumption of the Quercetin-Enriched Culinary Herbs-Derived Functional Ingredients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Foods 2022; 11:foods11172678. [PMID: 36076862 PMCID: PMC9455773 DOI: 10.3390/foods11172678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to great demand for memory enhancers, the memory-enhancing effects and the possible underlying mechanisms of the functional ingredients derived from the combined extract of Polygonum odoratum and Morus alba were investigated. A total of 45 participants randomly received either a placebo or the developed herbal supplement at a dose of 50 or 1500 mg/day. The consumption was done once daily for 8 weeks. Working memory was assessed via both an event-related potential and computerized battery tests at baseline and at the end of the 8-week study period. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and monoamine oxidase type A and type B (MAO-A, MAO-B) levels were also measured at the end of the study. The subjects who consumed the supplement containing a developed functional ingredient at a dose of 1500 mg/day showed reduced latencies but increased amplitudes of N100 and P300. An improvement in working memory and the suppression of AChE, MAO-A, and MAO-B activities were also observed. Therefore, this study clearly demonstrates the cognitive enhancing effect of the developed herbal congee, which may be associated with the suppressions of AChE and both types of MAO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jintanaporn Wattanathorn
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Research Institute of High Human Performance and Health Promotion, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +66-81-8721809
| | - Woraluck Somboonporn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Wipawee Thukham-Mee
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Research Institute of High Human Performance and Health Promotion, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Sudarat Sungkamnee
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Research Institute of High Human Performance and Health Promotion, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
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Debray A, Bherer L, Gagnon C, Bosquet L, Hay E, Bartlett AA, Gagnon D, Enea C. A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Arterial Stiffness and Cognitive Performances in Physically Active Late Pre- and Early Post-Menopausal Females. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12070901. [PMID: 35884708 PMCID: PMC9312988 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12070901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Menopause accelerates increases in arterial stiffness and decreases cognitive performances. The objective of this study was to compare cognitive performances in physically active pre- and post-menopausal females and their relationship with arterial stiffness. We performed a cross-sectional comparison of blood pressure, carotid−femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) and cognitive performances between physically active late pre- and early post-menopausal females. Systolic (post-menopause—pre-menopause: +6 mmHg [95% CI −1; +13], p = 0.27; ŋ2 = 0.04) and diastolic (+6 mmHg [95% CI +2; +11], p = 0.06; ŋ2 = 0.12) blood pressures, and cf-PWV (+0.29 m/s [95% CI −1.03; 1.62], p = 0.48; ŋ2 = 0.02) did not differ between groups. Post-menopausal females performed as well as pre-menopausal females on tests evaluating executive functions, episodic memory and processing speed. Group differences were observed on the computerized working memory task. Post-menopausal females had lower accuracy (p = 0.02; ŋ2 = 0.25) but similar reaction time (p = 0.70; ŋ2 < 0.01). Moreover, this performance was inversely associated with the severity of menopausal symptoms (r = −0.38; p = 0.05). These results suggest that arterial stiffness and performance on tests assessing episodic memory and processing speed and executive functions assessing inhibition and switching abilities did not differ between physically active pre- and post-menopausal females. However, post-menopausal females had lower performance on a challenging condition of a working memory task, and this difference in working memory between groups cannot be explained by increased arterial stiffness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Debray
- Montreal Heart Institute, 5055 Rue Saint-Zotique E, Montreal, QC H1T 1N6, Canada; (A.D.); (L.B.); (C.G.); (A.-A.B.); (D.G.)
- School of Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Université de Montréal, 2100, boulevard Édouard-Montpetit, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
- Laboratory MOVE (UR20296), Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de Poitiers, Batiment C6, 8 allée Jean Monnet, TSA 31113, CEDEX 9, 86073 Poitiers, France; (L.B.); (E.H.)
| | - Louis Bherer
- Montreal Heart Institute, 5055 Rue Saint-Zotique E, Montreal, QC H1T 1N6, Canada; (A.D.); (L.B.); (C.G.); (A.-A.B.); (D.G.)
- Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, 4565 Chemin Queen Mary, Montreal, QC H3W 1W5, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Christine Gagnon
- Montreal Heart Institute, 5055 Rue Saint-Zotique E, Montreal, QC H1T 1N6, Canada; (A.D.); (L.B.); (C.G.); (A.-A.B.); (D.G.)
- Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, 4565 Chemin Queen Mary, Montreal, QC H3W 1W5, Canada
| | - Laurent Bosquet
- Laboratory MOVE (UR20296), Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de Poitiers, Batiment C6, 8 allée Jean Monnet, TSA 31113, CEDEX 9, 86073 Poitiers, France; (L.B.); (E.H.)
- Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, 4565 Chemin Queen Mary, Montreal, QC H3W 1W5, Canada
| | - Eva Hay
- Laboratory MOVE (UR20296), Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de Poitiers, Batiment C6, 8 allée Jean Monnet, TSA 31113, CEDEX 9, 86073 Poitiers, France; (L.B.); (E.H.)
| | - Audrey-Ann Bartlett
- Montreal Heart Institute, 5055 Rue Saint-Zotique E, Montreal, QC H1T 1N6, Canada; (A.D.); (L.B.); (C.G.); (A.-A.B.); (D.G.)
- School of Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Université de Montréal, 2100, boulevard Édouard-Montpetit, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Daniel Gagnon
- Montreal Heart Institute, 5055 Rue Saint-Zotique E, Montreal, QC H1T 1N6, Canada; (A.D.); (L.B.); (C.G.); (A.-A.B.); (D.G.)
- School of Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Université de Montréal, 2100, boulevard Édouard-Montpetit, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Carina Enea
- Laboratory MOVE (UR20296), Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de Poitiers, Batiment C6, 8 allée Jean Monnet, TSA 31113, CEDEX 9, 86073 Poitiers, France; (L.B.); (E.H.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-(0)5-49-45-30-00
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15
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Fisher VL, Ortiz LS, Powers AR. A computational lens on menopause-associated psychosis. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:906796. [PMID: 35990063 PMCID: PMC9381820 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.906796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychotic episodes are debilitating disease states that can cause extreme distress and impair functioning. There are sex differences that drive the onset of these episodes. One difference is that, in addition to a risk period in adolescence and early adulthood, women approaching the menopause transition experience a second period of risk for new-onset psychosis. One leading hypothesis explaining this menopause-associated psychosis (MAP) is that estrogen decline in menopause removes a protective factor against processes that contribute to psychotic symptoms. However, the neural mechanisms connecting estrogen decline to these symptoms are still not well understood. Using the tools of computational psychiatry, links have been proposed between symptom presentation and potential algorithmic and biological correlates. These models connect changes in signaling with symptom formation by evaluating changes in information processing that are not easily observable (latent states). In this manuscript, we contextualize the observed effects of estrogen (decline) on neural pathways implicated in psychosis. We then propose how estrogen could drive changes in latent states giving rise to cognitive and psychotic symptoms associated with psychosis. Using computational frameworks to inform research in MAP may provide a systematic method for identifying patient-specific pathways driving symptoms and simultaneously refine models describing the pathogenesis of psychosis across all age groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria L Fisher
- Yale University School of Medicine and the Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Liara S Ortiz
- Yale University School of Medicine and the Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Albert R Powers
- Yale University School of Medicine and the Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, United States
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16
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Bortz J, Klatt KC, Wallace TC. Perspective: Estrogen and the Risk of Cognitive Decline: A Missing Choline(rgic) Link? Adv Nutr 2021; 13:S2161-8313(22)00068-0. [PMID: 34849527 PMCID: PMC8970832 DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmab145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Factors that influence the risk of neurocognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD) may provide insight into therapies for both disease treatment and prevention. While age is the most striking risk factor for AD, it is notable that the prevalence of AD is higher in women, representing two-thirds of cases. To explore potential underlying biological underpinnings of this observation, the intent of this article is to explore the interplay between cognitive aging and sex hormones, the cholinergic system, and novel hypotheses related to the essential nutrient, choline. Mechanistic evidence points toward estrogen's neuroprotective effects being strongly dependent on its interactions with the cholinergic system, a modulator of attentional functioning, learning, and memory. Estrogen has been shown to attenuate anticholinergic-induced impairments in verbal memory and normalize patterns of frontal and occipital cortex activation, resulting in a more "young adult" phenotype. However, similar to estrogen replacement's effect in cardiovascular diseases, its putative protective effects may be restricted to early postmenopausal women only, supportive of the "critical window hypothesis." Estrogen's impact on the cholinergic system may act both locally in the brain but also through peripheral tissues. Estrogen is critical for inducing endogenous choline synthesis via the phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT) pathway of phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis. PEMT is dramatically induced in response to estrogen, producing not only a PC molecule and source of choline for the brain but also a key source of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid, DHA. Herein, we highlight novel hypotheses related to hormone replacement therapy and nutrient metabolism aimed at directing future preclinical and clinical investigation.
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Amiel Castro R, Kunovac Kallak T, Sundström Poromaa I, Willebrand M, Lager S, Ehlert U, Skalkidou A. Pregnancy-related hormones and COMT genotype: Associations with maternal working memory. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 132:105361. [PMID: 34333317 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Women experience different degrees of subjective cognitive changes during pregnancy. The exact mechanism underlying these changes is unknown, although endocrine alterations and genetics may be contributing factors. We investigated whether multiple pregnancy-related hormones were associated with working memory function assessed with the Digit Span Test (DST) in late pregnancy. Moreover, we examined whether the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype, previously related to working memory, was an effect modifier in this association. In this population-based panel study, we recorded psychiatric history, medication use, socio-demographic characteristics, and psychological well-being, gathered blood and saliva samples, and administered the DST at gestational weeks 35-39 (N = 216). We conducted multivariate linear regressions with DST as outcome, with different hormones and COMT genotype, adjusting for covariates including maternal age, BMI, education, depressive symptoms, and parity. We repeated these analyses excluding women with elevated depressive symptoms. Higher DST total scores were associated with increased free estradiol concentrations (B = 0.01, p = 0.03; B = 0.01, p = 0.02) in all participants and in participants without depressive symptoms, respectively, whereas DST forward was positively associated with free estradiol only in women without depressive symptoms (B = 0.01, p = 0.04). Lower total testosterone concentrations (B = -0.03, p = 0.01) enhanced DST backward performance in non-depressed women. Maternal higher education was significantly associated with the DST subscales in all participants. No significant differences emerged when considering the COMT genotype. Our results suggest differential associations of free estradiol and total testosterone levels with working memory function in late pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Amiel Castro
- University of Zurich, Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Binzmühlestrasse 14/26, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Theodora Kunovac Kallak
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Inger Sundström Poromaa
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mimmie Willebrand
- Uppsala University, Department of Neuroscience, Akademiska sjukhuset 75185 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Susanne Lager
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ulrike Ehlert
- University of Zurich, Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Binzmühlestrasse 14/26, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alkistis Skalkidou
- Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, 1 tr, 75237 Uppsala, Sweden
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Alkanat M, Özdemir Alkanat H, Akgün E. Effects of menstrual cycle on divided attention in dual-task performance. Somatosens Mot Res 2021; 38:287-293. [PMID: 34463190 DOI: 10.1080/08990220.2021.1968370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Monthly hormonal fluctuation in women causes changes in peripheral systems and central nervous system structure and functions. In this study, we investigated the effects of menstrual cycle periods in women on attention during multitasking. Single and dual task conditions were tested in different menstrual cycle periods. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of forty women with regular menstrual cycles participated in this study. They were not any type of medication or hormonal treatment. Fine motor skills and Go/No-go tasks were performed on the 10th day of the late follicular phase, and then the tests were repeated on the 20th day of the late luteal phase. Fine motor tasks were performed by Annett's peg-moving test. Auditory stimuli were used in Go/No-go task. In dual tasks, both tasks were performed simultaneously. RESULTS There was no difference between follicular and luteal phases in single fine motor and Go/No-go task. In dual task condition Go/No-go task % error rate decreased in the luteal phase. Similarly, Go/No-go task reaction time decreased in the luteal phase. Non-dominant hand performance was increased in the luteal phase during the dual-task condition compared to the follicular phase. CONCLUSIONS When these results are evaluated together, declining error rates and reaction times indicates women successfully multitask in the luteal phase in dual tasks condition. This suggests that divided attention in women leads to better performance in the luteal phase than in the follicular phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Alkanat
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Giresun University, Giresun, Turkey
| | - Hafize Özdemir Alkanat
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, Giresun University, Giresun, Turkey
| | - Egemen Akgün
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Giresun University, Giresun, Turkey
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19
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Carrizo E, Domini J, Quezada RYJ, Serra SV, Soria EA, Miranda AR. [Variations of the cognitive status in the puerperium and their determinants: a narrative review]. CIENCIA & SAUDE COLETIVA 2021; 25:3321-3334. [PMID: 32785563 DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232020258.26232018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurobiological modifications that women experience during the puerperium, together with the consequent psychosocial changes, lead to variations in cognitive functions. In order to describe the cognitive variations that occur during postpartum and the determining factors, a narrative review was conducted by means of a bibliographic search in PubMed and Google Scholar. A steady increase in the number of published works was located (PubMed = 186; Google Scholar = 26,730). The analysis of the articles made it possible to: a) characterize the cognitive functions during the puerperium; b) analyze the neuropsychological effects produced by the endocrinological and anatomophysiological changes; c) analyze the effect of the quality of sleep on cognition; d) analyze cognitive functions according to obstetric experiences. In conclusion, puerperal women are characterized by variations in their cognitive functions, which are determined by structural, functional, psychological and social changes. It is necessary to conduct neuropsychological research in this population, since postpartum care still focuses on the care of the newborn, without addressing the puerperal woman in a comprehensive manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Carrizo
- Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Av. La Reforma, Ciudad Universitaria. 5014 Córdoba Argentina.
| | - Julia Domini
- Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Av. La Reforma, Ciudad Universitaria. 5014 Córdoba Argentina.
| | - Ruth Yohana Julieta Quezada
- Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Av. La Reforma, Ciudad Universitaria. 5014 Córdoba Argentina.
| | - Silvana Valeria Serra
- Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Av. La Reforma, Ciudad Universitaria. 5014 Córdoba Argentina.
| | - Elio Andrés Soria
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Córdoba Argentina
| | - Agustín Ramiro Miranda
- Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Av. La Reforma, Ciudad Universitaria. 5014 Córdoba Argentina.
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Taylor CM, Pritschet L, Jacobs EG. The scientific body of knowledge - Whose body does it serve? A spotlight on oral contraceptives and women's health factors in neuroimaging. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 60:100874. [PMID: 33002517 PMCID: PMC7882021 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Women constitute half of the world's population, yet neuroscience research does not serve the sexes equally. Fifty years of preclinical animal evidence documents the tightly-coupled relationship between our endocrine and nervous systems, yet human neuroimaging studies rarely consider how endocrine factors shape the structural and functional architecture of the human brain. Here, we quantify several blind spots in neuroimaging research, which overlooks aspects of the human condition that impact women's health (e.g. the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraceptives, pregnancy, menopause). Next, we illuminate potential consequences of this oversight: today over 100 million women use oral hormonal contraceptives, yet relatively few investigations have systematically examined whether disrupting endogenous hormone production impacts the brain. We close by presenting a roadmap for progress, highlighting the University of California Women's Brain Initiative which is addressing unmet needs in women's health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin M Taylor
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States.
| | - Laura Pritschet
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States
| | - Emily G Jacobs
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States; Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, United States.
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Hwang WJ, Lee TY, Kim NS, Kwon JS. The Role of Estrogen Receptors and Their Signaling across Psychiatric Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010373. [PMID: 33396472 PMCID: PMC7794990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests estrogen and estrogen signaling pathway disturbances across psychiatric disorders. Estrogens are not only crucial in sexual maturation and reproduction but are also highly involved in a wide range of brain functions, such as cognition, memory, neurodevelopment, and neuroplasticity. To add more, the recent findings of its neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects have grown interested in investigating its potential therapeutic use to psychiatric disorders. In this review, we analyze the emerging literature on estrogen receptors and psychiatric disorders in cellular, preclinical, and clinical studies. Specifically, we discuss the contribution of estrogen receptor and estrogen signaling to cognition and neuroprotection via mediating multiple neural systems, such as dopaminergic, serotonergic, and glutamatergic systems. Then, we assess their disruptions and their potential implications for pathophysiologies in psychiatric disorders. Further, in this review, current treatment strategies involving estrogen and estrogen signaling are evaluated to suggest a future direction in identifying novel treatment strategies in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu Jeong Hwang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea; (W.J.H.); (J.S.K.)
| | - Tae Young Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea;
- Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-55-360-2468
| | - Nahrie Suk Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 50612, Korea;
| | - Jun Soo Kwon
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea; (W.J.H.); (J.S.K.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
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22
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Akko DP, Koutsandréou F, Murillo-Rodríguez E, Wegner M, Budde H. The effects of an exercise training on steroid hormones in preadolescent children - a moderator for enhanced cognition? Physiol Behav 2020; 227:113168. [PMID: 32916181 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Research demonstrates a variety of cognitive benefits induced by different chronic physiological stressors (e.g. motor vs. cardiovascular exercise training) and acute exercise to affect steroid hormone secretion, the present study aims to investigate 1.) motor vs. cardiovascular exercise training and their impact on salivary Testosterone, Estradiol and Progesterone and 2.) whether alterations in steroid hormones might moderate exercise-induced cognitive benefits. METHODS In a randomized control trial, 71 preadolescent children (39 girls) at the age of 9-10 years were randomly assigned to a cardiovascular exercise group (CE), a motor exercise group (ME) as well as a control group (CON) in which students were attending assisted homework. The participants attended their program three times per week, for a total of 10 weeks. Steroid hormones in the saliva, working memory performance and state-trait anxiety levels were determined before and after the intervention. RESULTS Statistical analysis showed no chronic changes in hormones through the interventions. Stepwise hierarchical regression revealed the Testosterone*ME-interaction to be a significant moderator for working memory performance post-intervention (β = 0.48, p = 0.014). Within the ME, increases of Testosterone from t1 to t2 were predicting higher working memory performance post-intervention (β = 0.45, R2 = 0.16, p = 0.038). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest 1.) that motor-exercise-induced cognitive benefits are moderated by changes in Testosterone and 2.) that a 10-week exercise training of moderate intensity and with a motor demanding vs a cardiovascular character does not affect the chronic concentration of salivary Testosterone, Estradiol and Progesterone nor anxiety levels in preadolescent children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davin P Akko
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Hagen, Hagen, Germany.
| | | | - Eric Murillo-Rodríguez
- Escuela de Medicina, División Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac Mayab Mérida, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Mirko Wegner
- Department of Sport Psychology, Institute of Sports Science, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Henning Budde
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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Hill RA, Kouremenos K, Tull D, Maggi A, Schroeder A, Gibbons A, Kulkarni J, Sundram S, Du X. Bazedoxifene - a promising brain active SERM that crosses the blood brain barrier and enhances spatial memory. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 121:104830. [PMID: 32858306 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Over 20 years of accumulated evidence has shown that the major female sex hormone 17β-estradiol can enhance cognitive functioning. However, the utility of estradiol as a therapeutic cognitive enhancer is hindered by its unwanted peripheral effects (carcinogenic). Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) avoid the unwanted effects of estradiol by acting as estrogen receptor antagonists in some tissues such as breast and uterus, but as agonists in others such as bone, and are currently used for the treatment of osteoporosis. However, understanding of their actions in the brain are limited. The third generation SERM bazedoxifene has recently been FDA approved for clinical use with an improved biosafety profile. However, whether bazedoxifene can enter the brain and enhance cognition is unknown. Using mice, the current study aimed to explore if bazedoxifene can 1) cross the blood-brain barrier, 2) rescue ovariectomy-induced hippocampal-dependent spatial memory deficit, and 3) activate neural estrogen response element (ERE)-dependent gene transcription. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), we firstly demonstrate that a peripheral injection of bazedoxifene can enter the brain. Secondly, we show that an acute intraperitoneal injection of bazedoxifene can rescue ovariectomy-induced spatial memory deficits. And finally, using the ERE-luciferase reporter mouse, we show in vivo that bazedoxifene can activate the ERE in the brain. The evidence shown here suggest bazedoxifene could be a viable cognitive enhancer with promising clinical applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia; Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
| | - K Kouremenos
- Metabolomics Australia, Bio21 Molecular Science & Biotechnology Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - D Tull
- Metabolomics Australia, Bio21 Molecular Science & Biotechnology Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - A Maggi
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - A Schroeder
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - A Gibbons
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - J Kulkarni
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Monash University, St Kilda, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - S Sundram
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - X Du
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia; Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
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24
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Cognitive markers of dementia risk in middle-aged women with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy prior to menopause. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 94:1-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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25
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Nicholson K, MacLusky NJ, Leranth C. Synaptic effects of estrogen. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2020; 114:167-210. [PMID: 32723543 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2020.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The concept that estradiol may act as a local neuromodulator in the brain, rapidly affecting connectivity and synaptic function, has been firmly established by research over the last 30 years. De novo synthesis of estradiol within the brain as well as signaling mechanisms mediating responses to the hormone have been demonstrated, along with morphological evidence indicating rapid changes in synaptic input following increases in local estradiol levels. These rapid synaptic effects may play important roles in both physiological and pathophysiological responses to changes in circulating hormone levels, as well as in neurodegenerative disease. How local effects of estradiol on synaptic plasticity are integrated into changes in the overall activity of neural networks in the brain, however, remains a subject that is only incompletely understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Nicholson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Neil J MacLusky
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Csaba Leranth
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
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26
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Bak Y, Nah Y, Han S, Lee SK, Shin NY. Altered neural substrates within cognitive networks of postpartum women during working memory process and resting-state. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9110. [PMID: 32499565 PMCID: PMC7272423 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66058-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Postpartum working memory decline has been investigated mostly with neuropsychological tests, but neural evidence is almost unknown. Here we investigated task-related neural alterations during working memory task (n-back) and intrinsic alterations during resting-state (rs) in postpartum women using functional MRI (fMRI). Behaviorally, postpartum women showed comparable working memory performances to the controls although there was a tendency of prolonged response time. fMRI analysis results showed hyper-activation in regions belong to the task positive network (TPN) during the task and hypo-rsfMRI values in the default mode network (DMN) regions during rest in postpartum women. Based on these results, we performed network connectivity analysis using nodes of the TPN and DMN. As a result, the DMN showed a tendency of decreased connectivity in postpartum women during the working memory process compared to the controls. Our results suggest that postpartum women might have functional alterations in the DMN, and that hyper-activation in the TPN during a task might be a compensatory mechanism to maintain working memory performance in postpartum women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjin Bak
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Korea
| | - Yoonjin Nah
- Department of Psychology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Sanghoon Han
- Department of Psychology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Seung-Koo Lee
- Department of Radiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Na-Young Shin
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Korea.
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27
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Hammoud MZ, Foa EB, Milad MR. Oestradiol, threat conditioning and extinction, post-traumatic stress disorder, and prolonged exposure therapy: A common link. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12800. [PMID: 31595559 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The accumulating evidence regarding the impact of estradiol on learning and memory synergized studies to examine its influence on enhancing animal's ability to quell fear and anxiety. In this review, we first provide a foundational platform regarding the impact of oestradiol on cellular mechanisms of learning and memory and we review recent advances from rodent and human data showing that oestrogen enhances extinction learning across species. We then propose clinical application to these data. We discuss the potential role of oestradiol variance on the aetiology, maintenance and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Specifically, we argue that the use of oestradiol as an adjunct to prolonged exposure (PE) therapy for PTSD may provide a new treatment approach for enhancing the efficacy of PE in women with PTSD. This could advance our understanding of the mechanisms of PTSD and help tailor sex-specific treatments for this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira Z Hammoud
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Edna B Foa
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mohammed R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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New Evidence for Gender Differences in Performing the Corsi Test but Not the Digit Span: Data from 208 Individuals. PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12646-019-00512-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
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Wu M, Thurston RC, Tudorascu DL, Karim HT, Mathis CA, Lopresti BJ, Kamboh MI, Cohen AD, Snitz BE, Klunk WE, Aizenstein HJ. Amyloid deposition is associated with different patterns of hippocampal connectivity in men versus women. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 76:141-150. [PMID: 30711677 PMCID: PMC6584958 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Compared to men, women are disproportionally affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD) and have an accelerated trajectory of cognitive decline and disease progression. Neurobiological factors underlying gender differences in AD remain unclear. This study investigated brain beta-amyloid (Aβ)-related neural system differences in cognitively normal older men and women (N = 61; 41 females, 65-93 years old). We found that men and women showed different associations between Aβ load and hippocampal functional connectivity. During associative memory encoding, in men greater Aβ burden was accompanied by greater hippocampus-prefrontal connectivity (i.e., more synchronized activities), whereas in women hippocampal connectivity did not vary by Aβ burden. For resting-state data, the interaction of gender × Aβ on hippocampal connectivity did not survive multiple comparison in the whole-brain analyses. In the region of interest-based analyses, resting-state hippocampal-prefrontal connectivity was positively correlated with Aβ load in men and was negatively correlated with Aβ load in women. The observed Aβ-related neural differences may explain the accelerated trajectory of cognitive decline and AD progression in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjie Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca C Thurston
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Departments of Epidemiology and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Dana L Tudorascu
- Departments of Medicine and Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Helmet T Karim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Chester A Mathis
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Brian J Lopresti
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - M Ilyas Kamboh
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ann D Cohen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Beth E Snitz
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - William E Klunk
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Howard J Aizenstein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Effects of the experimental administration of oral estrogen on prefrontal functions in healthy young women. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:3465-3477. [PMID: 30306229 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5061-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
17-Beta-estradiol (E2) stimulates neural plasticity and dopaminergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex, which is critically involved in attentional control, working memory, and other executive functions. Studies investigating E2's actions on prefrontally mediated behavior in the course of the menstrual cycle or during hormone replacement therapy are inconclusive, with numerous null findings as well as beneficial and detrimental effects. The current study focused on the effect of E2 on attentional performance, as animal studies indicate that supraphysiological doses (i.e., above estrous cycle levels) of E2 have beneficial effects on measures of attention in female rodents. To translate these findings to humans, we administered 12 mg E2-valerate or placebo orally to 34 naturally cycling women in the low-hormone early follicular phase using a randomized, double-blinded, pre-post design. Behavioral performance was tested twice during baseline and E2 peak, where E2 levels reached mildly supraphysiological levels in the E2 group. Aside from mainly prefrontally mediated tasks of attention, working memory, and other executive functions, we employed tasks of affectively modulated attention, emotion recognition, and verbal memory. E2 administration had a significant, but subtle negative impact on general processing speed and working memory performance. These effects could be related to an overstimulation of dopaminergic transmission. The negative effect of supraphysiological E2 on working memory connects well to animal literature. There were no effects on attentional performance or any other measure. This could be explained by different E2 levels being optimal for changing behavioral performance in specific tasks, which likely depends on the brain regions involved.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Working memory (WM) is a key process that is integral to many complex cognitive tasks, and it declines significantly with advancing age. This review will survey recent evidence supporting the idea that the functioning of the WM system in women is modulated by circulating estrogens. RECENT FINDINGS In postmenopausal women, increased estrogen concentrations may be associated with improved WM function, which is evident on WM tasks that have a high cognitive load or significant manipulation demands. Experimental studies in rhesus monkeys and human neuroimaging studies support a prefrontal locus for these effects. Defining the basic neurochemical or cellular mechanisms that underlie the ability of estrogens to regulate WM is a topic of current research in both human and animal investigations. An emerging body of work suggests that frontal executive elements of the WM system are influenced by the circulating estrogen concentrations currently available to the CNS and that the effects are region-specific within the frontal cortex. These findings have implications for women's brain health and cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Hampson
- Department of Psychology, Social Sciences Center, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada.
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Frizell B, Dumas JA. Examining the Relationship Between Neurosteroids, Cognition, and Menopause With Neuroimaging Methods. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2018; 20:96. [PMID: 30221332 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-018-0963-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Previous literature has shown inconsistent findings regarding the effects of neurosteroids on the brain in postmenopausal women. The goal of this paper is to examine how and whether advances in neuroimaging have helped elucidate the relationship between the withdrawal of and/or treatment with neurosteroids and cognition at menopause. RECENT FINDINGS Neuroimaging techniques such as structural and functional MRI have been used in recent studies to examine the relationship between neurosteroids and brain structure and functioning. However, the recent literature shows that different formulations of postmenopausal hormones given at different times, through different routes of administration, and in different combinations with progestins result in a variety of relationships with the brain outcomes. We suggest that still further research is needed to understand how the structural changes resulting from estrogen withdrawal or therapy at menopause can influence cognitive functioning. However, imaging studies are time-, resource-, and expertise-intensive. We believe that this information will help uncover the mechanisms and relationships that can aid in the explanation of the individual differences in the effects of menopause on the brain as well as how this menopause-related hormone change influences risk for pathological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baillie Frizell
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Robert Larner M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, 1 South Prospect St, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA
| | - Julie A Dumas
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Robert Larner M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, 1 South Prospect St, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA.
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Gurvich C, Hoy K, Thomas N, Kulkarni J. Sex Differences and the Influence of Sex Hormones on Cognition through Adulthood and the Aging Process. Brain Sci 2018; 8:brainsci8090163. [PMID: 30154388 PMCID: PMC6162653 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci8090163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis that regulate reproductive function have multiple effects on the development, maintenance and function of the brain. Sex differences in cognitive functioning have been reported in both health and disease, which may be partly attributed to sex hormones. The aim of the current paper was to provide a theoretical review of how sex hormones influence cognitive functioning across the lifespan as well as provide an overview of the literature on sex differences and the role of sex hormones in cognitive decline, specifically in relation to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A summary of current hormone and sex-based interventions for enhancing cognitive functioning and/or reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease is also provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Gurvich
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
| | - Kate Hoy
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
| | - Jayashri Kulkarni
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.
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Ouellette SJ, Hampson E. Memory and affective changes during the antepartum: A narrative review and integrative hypothesis. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2018; 41:87-107. [DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2018.1485881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Ouellette
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Hampson
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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Matsumoto YK, Kasai M, Tomihara K. The enhancement effect of estradiol on contextual fear conditioning in female mice. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197441. [PMID: 29763466 PMCID: PMC5953469 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have reported regulatory effects of estrogens on fear conditioning in female rodents. However, these studies used different doses, durations, and/or administration methods, and reported inconsistent results. To clarify the effect of estrogen on fear conditioning, we investigated the effects of different doses and durations of estradiol administration on freezing behavior during contextual fear conditioning in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. In Experiment 1, OVX ICR mice received a single subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of either oil vehicle (control, 0.1 ml sesame oil) or varied doses (0.5 μg/0.1 ml, 5 μg/0.1 ml, or 50 μg/0.1 ml) of 17β-estradiol-3-benzoate (EB). Fear conditioning was conducted two days post-EB treatment, and the mice were tested for the learned fear response the following day. In Experiment 2, OVX female mice received an s.c. implantation of a Silastic capsule (I.D. 1.98 × 20.0 mm) containing either vehicle or varied doses (0.05 μg/0.1 ml, 0.5 μg/0.1 ml, 5 μg/0.1 ml, 50 μg/0.1 ml) of EB. Two weeks after implantation, fear conditioning was conducted. During the tests conducted 24 h after conditioning, the high dose EB group showed longer freezing times in both experiments, and lower locomotor activity compared to the control or lower dose groups. In Experiment 3, serum estradiol concentrations of the mice that were treated like those in Experiment 2, were measured; the serum levels of estradiol increased linearly according to the dose of EB administered. The results suggest that mice treated with a high dose of EB exhibit enhanced fear learning, regardless of treatment duration. As a woman’s vulnerability to emotional disorders increases in the peripregnancy period, during which estrogen levels are high, the results from the high-dose EB groups may be important for understanding the hormonal mechanisms involved in these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yui K. Matsumoto
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Masanori Kasai
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Kazuya Tomihara
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Law, Economics and Humanities, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Shin NY, Bak Y, Nah Y, Han S, Kim DJ, Kim SJ, Lee JE, Lee SG, Lee SK. Disturbed retrieval network and prospective memory decline in postpartum women. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5476. [PMID: 29615788 PMCID: PMC5882973 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-23875-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Prospective memory (PM) refers to the ability to remember to execute an intended action in the future. For successful PM performance, both top-down strategic monitoring and bottom-up spontaneous retrieval processes need to be appropriately recruited. We assessed PM performance and used fMRI to discover relevant neural correlates and possible predictors for PM performance in 25 postpartum and 26 nulliparous age- and education-matched women. Postpartum women showed decreased PM performance, a higher number of nocturnal awakenings, and lower estradiol level. The postpartum women had decreased functional connectivity (FC) in the right hippocampus and ventral frontoparietal networks (FPN) during retrieval-dominant PM trials relative to maintenance-dominant ongoing trials in the PM block. On multivariate analyses, decreased FC between the right hippocampus and ventral FPN and a higher number of nocturnal awakenings were independent predictors for poor PM performance after adjusting for age, education, estradiol level, and depressive symptoms. On mediation analyses, the estradiol level was found to have an indirect effect on PM accuracy via altered FC as a mediator. This suggests that decreased FC within the spontaneous retrieval-related regions including the right hippocampus and ventral FPN, disrupted sleep rhythms, and decreased estradiol level may contribute to poor PM performance in postpartum women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na-Young Shin
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yunjin Bak
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yoonjin Nah
- Department of Psychology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sanghoon Han
- Department of Psychology, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong Joon Kim
- Department of Radiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Se Joo Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jong Eun Lee
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang-Guk Lee
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Seung-Koo Lee
- Department of Radiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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Chai WJ, Abd Hamid AI, Abdullah JM. Working Memory From the Psychological and Neurosciences Perspectives: A Review. Front Psychol 2018; 9:401. [PMID: 29636715 PMCID: PMC5881171 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the concept of working memory was introduced over 50 years ago, different schools of thought have offered different definitions for working memory based on the various cognitive domains that it encompasses. The general consensus regarding working memory supports the idea that working memory is extensively involved in goal-directed behaviors in which information must be retained and manipulated to ensure successful task execution. Before the emergence of other competing models, the concept of working memory was described by the multicomponent working memory model proposed by Baddeley and Hitch. In the present article, the authors provide an overview of several working memory-relevant studies in order to harmonize the findings of working memory from the neurosciences and psychological standpoints, especially after citing evidence from past studies of healthy, aging, diseased, and/or lesioned brains. In particular, the theoretical framework behind working memory, in which the related domains that are considered to play a part in different frameworks (such as memory’s capacity limit and temporary storage) are presented and discussed. From the neuroscience perspective, it has been established that working memory activates the fronto-parietal brain regions, including the prefrontal, cingulate, and parietal cortices. Recent studies have subsequently implicated the roles of subcortical regions (such as the midbrain and cerebellum) in working memory. Aging also appears to have modulatory effects on working memory; age interactions with emotion, caffeine and hormones appear to affect working memory performances at the neurobiological level. Moreover, working memory deficits are apparent in older individuals, who are susceptible to cognitive deterioration. Another younger population with working memory impairment consists of those with mental, developmental, and/or neurological disorders such as major depressive disorder and others. A less coherent and organized neural pattern has been consistently reported in these disadvantaged groups. Working memory of patients with traumatic brain injury was similarly affected and shown to have unusual neural activity (hyper- or hypoactivation) as a general observation. Decoding the underlying neural mechanisms of working memory helps support the current theoretical understandings concerning working memory, and at the same time provides insights into rehabilitation programs that target working memory impairments from neurophysiological or psychological aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jia Chai
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
| | - Aini Ismafairus Abd Hamid
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia.,Center for Neuroscience Services and Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
| | - Jafri Malin Abdullah
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia.,Center for Neuroscience Services and Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
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Sandini TM, Reis-Silva TM, Moreira N, Bernardi MM, Lebrun I, Spinosa HDS. Effects of isoflavones on behavior, estradiol, glutamate, and GABA levels in intact middle-aged female rats. Nutr Neurosci 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2018.1447296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thaísa Meira Sandini
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thiago Marinho Reis-Silva
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Psychology Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Natalia Moreira
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria Martha Bernardi
- Post-Graduate Program of Environmental and Experimental Pathology and Post-Graduate Program of Dentistry, Paulista University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ivo Lebrun
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Institute Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
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Jacobs EG, Weiss B, Makris N, Whitfield-Gabrieli S, Buka SL, Klibanski A, Goldstein JM. Reorganization of Functional Networks in Verbal Working Memory Circuitry in Early Midlife: The Impact of Sex and Menopausal Status. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:2857-2870. [PMID: 27178194 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Converging preclinical and human evidence indicates that the decline in ovarian estradiol production during the menopausal transition may play a mechanistic role in the neuronal changes that occur early in the aging process. Here, we present findings from a population-based fMRI study characterizing regional and network-level differences in working memory (WM) circuitry in midlife men and women (N = 142; age range 46-53), as a function of sex and reproductive stage. Reproductive histories and hormonal evaluations were used to determine menopausal status. Participants performed a verbal WM task during fMRI scanning. Results revealed robust differences in task-evoked responses in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and hippocampus as a function of women's reproductive stage, despite minimal variance in chronological age. Sex differences in regional activity and functional connectivity that were pronounced between men and premenopausal women were diminished for postmenopausal women. Critically, analyzing data without regard to sex or reproductive status obscured group differences in the circuit-level neural strategies associated with successful working memory performance. These findings underscore the importance of reproductive age and hormonal status, over and above chronological age, for understanding sex differences in the aging of memory circuitry. Further, these findings suggest that early changes in working memory circuitry are evident decades before the age range typically targeted in cognitive aging studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G Jacobs
- Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine.,Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02120, USA.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Blair Weiss
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, USA
| | - Nikos Makris
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02120, USA.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Sue Whitfield-Gabrieli
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Stephen L Buka
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Anne Klibanski
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jill M Goldstein
- Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine.,Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02120, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02120, USA.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Few have characterized cognitive changes with age as a function of menopausal stage relative to men, or sex differences in components of memory in early midlife. The study aim was to investigate variation in memory function in early midlife as a function of sex, sex steroid hormones, and reproductive status. METHODS A total of 212 men and women aged 45 to 55 were selected for this cross-sectional study from a prenatal cohort of pregnancies whose mothers were originally recruited in 1959 to 1966. They underwent clinical and cognitive testing and hormonal assessments of menopause status. Multivariate general linear models for multiple memory outcomes were used to test hypotheses controlling for potential confounders. Episodic memory, executive function, semantic processing, and estimated verbal intelligence were assessed. Associative memory and episodic verbal memory were assessed using Face-Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME) and Selective Reminding Test (SRT), given increased sensitivity to detecting early cognitive decline. Impacts of sex and reproductive stage on performance were tested. RESULTS Women outperformed men on all memory measures including FNAME (β = -0.30, P < 0.0001) and SRT (β = -0.29, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, premenopausal and perimenopausal women outperformed postmenopausal women on FNAME (initial learning, β= 0.32, P = 0.01) and SRT (recall, β= 2.39, P = 0.02). Across all women, higher estradiol was associated with better SRT performance (recall, β = 1.96, P = 0.01) and marginally associated with FNAME (initial learning, β = 0.19, P = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that, in early midlife, women outperformed age-matched men across all memory measures, but sex differences were attenuated for postmenopausal women. Initial learning and memory retrieval were particularly vulnerable, whereas memory consolidation and storage were preserved. Findings underscore the significance of the decline in ovarian estradiol production in midlife and its role in shaping memory function.
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42
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Dopaminergic contributions to working memory-related brain activation in postmenopausal women. Menopause 2018; 24:163-170. [PMID: 27676634 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000000738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The current study examined the effects of pharmacologic dopaminergic manipulations on working memory-related brain activation in postmenopausal women to further understand the neurochemistry underlying cognition after menopause. METHODS Eighteen healthy postmenopausal women, mean age 55.21 years, completed three study days with dopaminergic drug challenges during which they performed a functional magnetic resonance imaging visual verbal N-back test of working memory. Acute stimulation with 1.25 mg oral D2 agonist bromocriptine, acute blockade with 1.5 mg oral haloperidol, and matching placebo were administered randomly and blindly on three study days. RESULTS We found that dopaminergic stimulation increased activation primarily in the posterior regions of the working memory network compared with dopaminergic blockade using a whole brain cluster-level corrected analysis. The dopaminergic medications did not affect working memory performance. CONCLUSIONS Patterns of increased blood-oxygen-level dependent signal activation after dopaminergic stimulation were found in this study in posterior brain regions with no effect on working memory performance. Further studies should examine specific dopaminergic contributions to brain functioning in healthy postmenopausal women to determine the effects of the increased brain activation on cognition and behavior.
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Hurley R, Machado L. Using transcranial direct current stimulation to improve verbal working memory: A detailed review of the methodology. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2018; 40:790-804. [DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2018.1434133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roanne Hurley
- Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Liana Machado
- Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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44
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Gervais NJ, Mong JA, Lacreuse A. Ovarian hormones, sleep and cognition across the adult female lifespan: An integrated perspective. Front Neuroendocrinol 2017; 47:134-153. [PMID: 28803147 PMCID: PMC7597864 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Loss of ovarian function in women is associated with sleep disturbances and cognitive decline, which suggest a key role for estrogens and/or progestins in modulating these symptoms. The effects of ovarian hormones on sleep and cognitive processes have been studied in separate research fields that seldom intersect. However, sleep has a considerable impact on cognitive function. Given the tight connections between sleep and cognition, ovarian hormones may influence selective aspects of cognition indirectly, via the modulation of sleep. In support of this hypothesis, a growing body of evidence indicates that the development of sleep disorders following menopause contributes to accelerated cognitive decline and dementia in older women. This paper draws from both the animal and human literature to present an integrated view of the effects of ovarian hormones on sleep and cognition across the adult female lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole J Gervais
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 135 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA 01003, United States.
| | - Jessica A Mong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Agnès Lacreuse
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 135 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
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45
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Thaung Zaw JJ, Howe PRC, Wong RHX. Does phytoestrogen supplementation improve cognition in humans? A systematic review. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2017; 1403:150-163. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jay Jay Thaung Zaw
- Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy University of Newcastle Callaghan New South Wales Australia
| | - Peter Ranald Charles Howe
- Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy University of Newcastle Callaghan New South Wales Australia
- Division of Research and Innovation University of Southern Queensland Raceview Queensland Australia
| | - Rachel Heloise Xiwen Wong
- Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy University of Newcastle Callaghan New South Wales Australia
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46
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Abstract
Visual-spatial working memory measures are widely used in clinical and experimental settings. Furthermore, it has been argued that the male advantage in spatial abilities can be explained by a sex difference in visual-spatial working memory. Therefore, sex differences in visual-spatial working memory have important implication for research, theory, and practice, but they have yet to be quantified. The present meta-analysis quantified the magnitude of sex differences in visual-spatial working memory and examined variables that might moderate them. The analysis used a set of 180 effect sizes from healthy males and females drawn from 98 samples ranging in mean age from 3 to 86 years. Multilevel meta-analysis was used on the overall data set to account for non-independent effect sizes. The data also were analyzed in separate task subgroups by means of multilevel and mixed-effects models. Results showed a small but significant male advantage (mean d = 0.155, 95 % confidence interval = 0.087-0.223). All the tasks produced a male advantage, except for memory for location, where a female advantage emerged. Age of the participants was a significant moderator, indicating that sex differences in visual-spatial working memory appeared first in the 13-17 years age group. Removing memory for location tasks from the sample affected the pattern of significant moderators. The present results indicate a male advantage in visual-spatial working memory, although age and specific task modulate the magnitude and direction of the effects. Implications for clinical applications, cognitive model building, and experimental research are discussed.
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47
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Berger J, Oltmanns F, Holtkamp M, Bengner T. Sex differences in verbal and nonverbal learning before and after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery. Epilepsy Behav 2017; 66:57-63. [PMID: 28033547 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.11.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Women outperform men in a host of episodic memory tasks, yet the neuroanatomical basis for this effect is unclear. It has been suggested that the anterior temporal lobe might be especially relevant for sex differences in memory. In the current study, we investigated whether temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) has an influence on sex effects in learning and memory and whether women and men with TLE differ in their risk for memory deficits after epilepsy surgery. 177 patients (53 women and 41 men with left TLE, 42 women and 41 men with right TLE) were neuropsychologically tested before and one year after temporal lobe resection. We found that women with TLE had better verbal, but not figural, memory than men with TLE. The female advantage in verbal memory was not affected by temporal lobe resection. The same pattern of results was found in a more homogeneous subsample of 84 patients with only hippocampal sclerosis who were seizure-free after surgery. Our findings challenge the concept that the anterior temporal lobe plays a central role in the verbal memory advantage for women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justus Berger
- Epilepsy-Center Berlin-Brandenburg, Berlin, Germany.
| | | | - Martin Holtkamp
- Epilepsy-Center Berlin-Brandenburg, Berlin, Germany; Department of Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
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Impact of Sex and Menopausal Status on Episodic Memory Circuitry in Early Midlife. J Neurosci 2016; 36:10163-73. [PMID: 27683911 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0951-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Cognitive neuroscience of aging studies traditionally target participants age 65 and older. However, epidemiological surveys show that many women report increased forgetfulness earlier in the aging process, as they transition to menopause. In this population-based fMRI study, we stepped back by over a decade to characterize the changes in memory circuitry that occur in early midlife, as a function of sex and women's reproductive stage. Participants (N = 200; age range, 45-55) performed a verbal encoding task during fMRI scanning. Reproductive histories and serologic evaluations were used to determine menopausal status. Results revealed a pronounced impact of reproductive stage on task-evoked hippocampal responses, despite minimal difference in chronological age. Next, we examined the impact of sex and reproductive stage on functional connectivity across task-related brain regions. Postmenopausal women showed enhanced bilateral hippocampal connectivity relative to premenopausal and perimenopausal women. Across women, lower 17β-estradiol concentrations were related to more pronounced alterations in hippocampal connectivity and poorer performance on a subsequent memory retrieval task, strongly implicating sex steroids in the regulation of this circuitry. Finally, subgroup analyses revealed that high-performing postmenopausal women (relative to low and middle performers) exhibited a pattern of brain activity akin to premenopausal women. Together, these findings underscore the importance of considering reproductive stage, not simply chronological age, to identify neuronal and cognitive changes that unfold in the middle decades of life. In keeping with preclinical studies, these human findings suggest that the decline in ovarian estradiol production during menopause plays a significant role in shaping memory circuitry. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Maintaining intact memory function with age is one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, and women have an increased risk for memory disorders relative to men later in life. We studied adults early in the aging process, as women transition into menopause, to identify neuronal and cognitive changes that unfold in the middle decades of life. Results demonstrate regional and network-level differences in memory encoding-related activity as a function of women's reproductive stage, independent of chronological age. Analyzing data without regard to sex or menopausal status obscured group differences in circuit-level neural strategies associated with successful memory retrieval. These findings suggest that early changes in memory circuitry are evident decades before the age range traditionally targeted by cognitive neuroscience of aging studies.
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49
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Hejazian SH, Karimi S, Hosseini M, Mousavi SM, Soukhtanloo M. Protection against brain tissues oxidative damage as a possible mechanism for improving effects of low doses of estradiol on scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in ovariectomized rats. Adv Biomed Res 2016; 5:123. [PMID: 27563633 PMCID: PMC4976525 DOI: 10.4103/2277-9175.186981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Regarding the anti-oxidative effects on the central nervous system, the possible protection against brain tissues oxidative damage as a possible mechanism for improving effects of low doses of estradiol on scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments was investigated in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Materials and Methods: The OVX rats treated by (1) vehicle, (2) scopolamine, and (3–4) scopolamine plus estradiol (20 or 20 or 60 μg/kg). Estradiol was administered (20 or 60 μg/kg, intraperitoneally) daily for 6 weeks after ovariectomy. The rats were examined for learning and memory using passive avoidance test. Scopolamine (2 mg/kg) was injected 30 min after training in the test. The brains were then removed to determine malondialdehyde (MDA) and thiol contents. Results: Scopolamine shortened the time latency to enter the dark compartment in (P < 0.01). Compared to scopolamine, pretreatment by both doses of estradiol prolonged the latency to enter the dark compartment (P < 0.01). The brain tissues MDA concentration as an index of lipid peroxidation was decreased (P < 0.05). Pretreatment by estradiol lowered the concentration of MDA, while it increased thiol content compared to scopolamine (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). Conclusions: These results allow us to suggest a protection against brain tissues oxidative damage as a possible mechanism for improving effects of low doses of estradiol on scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in OVX rats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sareh Karimi
- Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Hosseini
- Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed Mojtaba Mousavi
- Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Soukhtanloo
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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50
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Sex differences in inhibitory control in socially-housed baboons (Papio papio). Behav Brain Res 2016; 312:231-7. [PMID: 27321783 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.06.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Revised: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory control is an important component of executive function. An emerging literature in humans suggests that inhibitory control is sexually dimorphic and modulated by sex steroids, but evidence for such a link in nonhuman animals is scarce. In this study, we examined the effects of menstrual cycle and biological sex on response inhibition, as measured by a Stop-Signal task, in the baboon (Papio papio). The monkeys (n=13) were socially-housed, with voluntary access to multiple touchscreen computerized stations. The task required monkeys to inhibit prepotent responses (touching a target, "Go" trials) following the appearance of a visual stop signal on 25% of the trials ("Stop" trials). The cognitive data, consisting of computerized records of the monkeys' performance on the Stop-Signal task over a year of testing, were matched to records of female sexual swellings. Same-day menstrual and cognitive data were available for 5 females, aged 5-18 years. These data were compared to those of 8 males (5-14 years old) performing the Stop-Signal task over the same time period. Contrary to our hypothesis, performance on the task was not significantly affected by the phase (ovulatory vs. luteal) of the cycle in females. However, males were slower than females on Go trials and were less efficient in inhibiting responses on Stop trials. Slower responses in males were indicative of a speed-accuracy trade-off, as overall accuracy was also better in males than in females. Analyses of trial history indicated that males did not speed as much as females following a successful Go trial, but did not differ from females in post-error slowing or post-inhibiting responses. Overall, the data show that biological sex modulates Stop-Signal performance in the baboon, with males exhibiting slower response execution overall, less efficient inhibition, but greater accuracy than females. This pattern of sex differences may reflect motivational sex differences in which males emphasize accuracy rather than speed. Interestingly, these sex differences do not seem to vary as a function of ovarian hormones in females. Males' greater focus on accuracy is possibly due to enhanced sensitivity to reward mediated by testosterone levels.
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