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Martinez M, Cai T, Yang B, Zhou Z, Shankman SA, Mittal VA, Haase CM, Qu Y. Depressive symptoms during the transition to adolescence: Left hippocampal volume as a marker of social context sensitivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2321965121. [PMID: 39226358 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321965121] [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: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The transition to adolescence is a critical period for mental health development. Socio-experiential environments play an important role in the emergence of depressive symptoms with some adolescents showing more sensitivity to social contexts than others. Drawing on recent developmental neuroscience advances, we examined whether hippocampal volume amplifies social context effects in the transition to adolescence. We analyzed 2-y longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD®) study in a diverse sample of 11,832 youth (mean age: 9.914 y; range: 8.917 to 11.083 y; 47.8% girls) from 21 sites across the United States. Socio-experiential environments (i.e., family conflict, primary caregiver's depressive symptoms, parental warmth, peer victimization, and prosocial school environment), hippocampal volume, and a wide range of demographic characteristics were measured at baseline. Youth's symptoms of major depressive disorder were assessed at both baseline and 2 y later. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression analyses showed that negative social environments (i.e., family conflict, primary caregiver's depressive symptoms, and peer victimization) and the absence of positive social environments (i.e., parental warmth and prosocial school environment) predicted greater increases in youth's depressive symptoms over 2 y. Importantly, left hippocampal volume amplified social context effects such that youth with larger left hippocampal volume experienced greater increases in depressive symptoms in more negative and less positive social environments. Consistent with brain-environment interaction models of mental health, these findings underscore the importance of families, peers, and schools in the development of depression during the transition to adolescence and show how neural structure amplifies social context sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matias Martinez
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
| | - Tianying Cai
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Beiming Yang
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
| | - Zexi Zhou
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Stewart A Shankman
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
- Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Vijay A Mittal
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
- Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Claudia M Haase
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
- Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60611
- Buffett Institute for Global Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201
| | - Yang Qu
- School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611
- Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
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Al-Darsani Z, Banack HR, Ziegler MN, Rapp SR, Corrada MM, Odegaard AO. DXA-Measured Abdominal Adipose Depots and Structural Brain Integrity in Postmenopausal Women. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2024:00002093-990000000-00127. [PMID: 39129431 DOI: 10.1097/wad.0000000000000642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study extends prior research from the MRI substudy of the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS-MRI) linking BMI to reduced brain atrophy and ischemic lesion load by examining DXA-based measurements of total body fat, total abdominal adipose tissue (TAT), abdominal visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissue, gynoid fat, and overall leg fat. METHODS The analytic sample consisted of 61 postmenopausal women (baseline mean age 69.5 [3.6]) enrolled in WHIMS-MRI who had undergone DXA scans. DXA scans were completed at years 0, 3, and 6, and MRI scans were conducted ~8 years after baseline. Adjusted linear regression models were used to analyze the association between adiposity averaged across the 3-time points and volumes of brain regions previously linked to dementia. RESULTS Higher levels of total body fat, TAT, VAT, SAT, gynoid, and overall leg fat were associated with larger hippocampal volume (β 0.02 [95% CI, 0.004-0.04]; 0.11 [0.02-0.21]; 0.26 [0.04-0.47]; 0.18 [0.03-0.33]; 0.18 [0.05-0.30]; 0.07 [0.009-0.12], respectively). No other significant associations were observed. CONCLUSION Higher levels of adiposity were positively associated with hippocampal volume. Additional research with larger sample sizes is needed to ascertain the significance of this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinah Al-Darsani
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Temple University College of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Hailey R Banack
- Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mallory N Ziegler
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | - Stephen R Rapp
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Maria M Corrada
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, Irvine, CA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Andrew O Odegaard
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, Irvine, CA
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Gao W, Zhu WW, Yu YH, Wang J. Plasma homocysteine level, estradiol level, and brain atrophy: a Mendelian randomization study. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae112. [PMID: 38517173 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae112] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Observational studies link elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) with vascular disease. Our aim was to assess the gender difference in the association between the plasma tHcy level and brain atrophy and identify the possible influencer. We employed Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore the causal relationship between plasma tHcy level, estradiol level, and brain atrophy. METHODS A total of 687 patients with brain atrophy were included, and gender-specific subgroup analyses in association between tHcy and brain atrophy are conducted. From genome-wide association studies, we selected genetic variants (P < 5 × 10-8) for the plasma tHcy level and estradiol level. We investigated the degree of brain atrophy (including gray matter volume and total brain volume) in the UK biobank (n = 7,916). The inverse variance-weighted and several sensitivity MR regression analyses were carried out. RESULTS The plasma tHcy level was significantly associated with brain atrophy for females, but not for males. An MR study showed that there was little evidence of the causal link between elevated plasma tHcy and brain atrophy. On the other hand, we found evidence to support causality for genetically decreased estradiol with higher risk of brain atrophy. Furthermore, genetic predisposition to elevated plasma tHcy was associated with a lower estradiol level. CONCLUSIONS The influence of estradiol on the association between tHcy and brain atrophy deserves further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Gao
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Wei-Wen Zhu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510260, China
| | - Ya-Huan Yu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
| | - Juan Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China
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Prokai-Tatrai K, Prokai L. The impact of 17β-estradiol on the estrogen-deficient female brain: from mechanisms to therapy with hot flushes as target symptoms. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 14:1310432. [PMID: 38260155 PMCID: PMC10800853 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1310432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex steroids are essential for whole body development and functions. Among these steroids, 17β-estradiol (E2) has been known as the principal "female" hormone. However, E2's actions are not restricted to reproduction, as it plays a myriad of important roles throughout the body including the brain. In fact, this hormone also has profound effects on the female brain throughout the life span. The brain receives this gonadal hormone from the circulation, and local formation of E2 from testosterone via aromatase has been shown. Therefore, the brain appears to be not only a target but also a producer of this steroid. The beneficial broad actions of the hormone in the brain are the end result of well-orchestrated delayed genomic and rapid non-genomic responses. A drastic and steady decline in circulating E2 in a female occurs naturally over an extended period of time starting with the perimenopausal transition, as ovarian functions are gradually declining until the complete cessation of the menstrual cycle. The waning of endogenous E2 in the blood leads to an estrogen-deficient brain. This adversely impacts neural and behavioral functions and may lead to a constellation of maladies such as vasomotor symptoms with varying severity among women and, also, over time within an individual. Vasomotor symptoms triggered apparently by estrogen deficiency are related to abnormal changes in the hypothalamus particularly involving its preoptic and anterior areas. However, conventional hormone therapies to "re-estrogenize" the brain carry risks due to multiple confounding factors including unwanted hormonal exposure of the periphery. In this review, we focus on hot flushes as the archetypic manifestation of estrogen deprivation in the brain. Beyond our current mechanistic understanding of the symptoms, we highlight the arduous process and various obstacles of developing effective and safe therapies for hot flushes using E2. We discuss our preclinical efforts to constrain E2's beneficial actions to the brain by the DHED prodrug our laboratory developed to treat maladies associated with the hypoestrogenic brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katalin Prokai-Tatrai
- Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States
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Brown A, Gervais NJ, Rieck J, Almey A, Gravelsins L, Reuben R, Karkaby L, Rajah MN, Grady C, Einstein G. Women's Brain Health: Midlife Ovarian Removal Affects Associative Memory. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:6145-6159. [PMID: 37423941 PMCID: PMC10533588 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03424-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Women with early bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO; removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes) have greater Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk than women in spontaneous/natural menopause (SM), but early biomarkers of this risk are not well-characterized. Considering associative memory deficits may presage preclinical AD, we wondered if one of the earliest changes might be in associative memory and whether younger women with BSO had changes similar to those observed in SM. Women with BSO (with and without 17β-estradiol replacement therapy (ERT)), their age-matched premenopausal controls (AMC), and older women in SM completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging face-name associative memory task shown to predict early AD. Brain activation during encoding was compared between groups: AMC (n=25), BSO no ERT (BSO; n=15), BSO+ERT (n=16), and SM without hormone therapy (n=16). Region-of-interest analyses revealed AMC did not contribute to functional group differences. BSO+ERT had higher hippocampal activation than BSO and SM. This hippocampal activation correlated positively with urinary metabolite levels of 17β-estradiol. Multivariate partial least squares analyses showed BSO+ERT had a different network-level activation pattern than BSO and SM. Thus, despite being approximately 10 years younger, women with BSO without ERT had similar brain function to those with SM, suggesting early 17β-estradiol loss may lead to an altered functional brain phenotype which could influence late-life AD risk, making face-name encoding a potential biomarker for midlife women with increased AD risk. Despite similarities in activation, BSO and SM groups showed opposite within-hippocampus connectivity, suggesting menopause type is an important consideration when assessing brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana Brown
- Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada.
| | - Nicole J Gervais
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, M6A 2E1, Canada
| | - Jenny Rieck
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, M6A 2E1, Canada
| | - Anne Almey
- Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Laura Gravelsins
- Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Rebekah Reuben
- Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Laurice Karkaby
- Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - M Natasha Rajah
- Departments of Psychiatry and Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Cheryl Grady
- Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, M6A 2E1, Canada
- Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Gillian Einstein
- Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, M6A 2E1, Canada
- Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
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Nerattini M, Jett S, Andy C, Carlton C, Zarate C, Boneu C, Battista M, Pahlajani S, Loeb-Zeitlin S, Havryulik Y, Williams S, Christos P, Fink M, Brinton RD, Mosconi L. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of menopause hormone therapy on risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1260427. [PMID: 37937120 PMCID: PMC10625913 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1260427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Despite a large preclinical literature demonstrating neuroprotective effects of estrogen, use of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) for Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk reduction has been controversial. Herein, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of HT effects on AD and dementia risk. Methods Our systematic search yielded 6 RCT reports (21,065 treated and 20,997 placebo participants) and 45 observational reports (768,866 patient cases and 5.5 million controls). We used fixed and random effect meta-analysis to derive pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (C.I.) from these studies. Results Randomized controlled trials conducted in postmenopausal women ages 65 and older show an increased risk of dementia with HT use compared with placebo [RR = 1.38, 95% C.I. 1.16-1.64, p < 0.001], driven by estrogen-plus-progestogen therapy (EPT) [RR = 1.64, 95% C.I. 1.20-2.25, p = 0.002] and no significant effects of estrogen-only therapy (ET) [RR = 1.19, 95% C.I. 0.92-1.54, p = 0.18]. Conversely, observational studies indicate a reduced risk of AD [RR = 0.78, 95% C.I. 0.64-0.95, p = 0.013] and all-cause dementia [RR = .81, 95% C.I. 0.70-0.94, p = 0.007] with HT use, with protective effects noted with ET [RR = 0.86, 95% C.I. 0.77-0.95, p = 0.002] but not with EPT [RR = 0.910, 95% C.I. 0.775-1.069, p = 0.251]. Stratified analysis of pooled estimates indicates a 32% reduced risk of dementia with midlife ET [RR = 0.685, 95% C.I. 0.513-0.915, p = 0.010] and non-significant reductions with midlife EPT [RR = 0.775, 95% C.I. 0.474-1.266, p = 0.309]. Late-life HT use was associated with increased risk, albeit not significant [EPT: RR = 1.323, 95% C.I. 0.979-1.789, p = 0.069; ET: RR = 1.066, 95% C.I. 0.996-1.140, p = 0.066]. Discussion These findings support renewed research interest in evaluating midlife estrogen therapy for AD risk reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilde Nerattini
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Nuclear Medicine Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Steven Jett
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Caroline Andy
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Caroline Carlton
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Camila Zarate
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Camila Boneu
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Michael Battista
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Silky Pahlajani
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Susan Loeb-Zeitlin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yelena Havryulik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Schantel Williams
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Paul Christos
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Matthew Fink
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Roberta Diaz Brinton
- Department of Neurology and Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Lisa Mosconi
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Nuclear Medicine Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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7
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Murray SB, Diaz-Fong JP, Duval CJ, Balkchyan AA, Nagata JM, Lee DJ, Ganson KT, Toga AW, Siegel SJ, Jann K. Sex differences in regional gray matter density in pre-adolescent binge eating disorder: a voxel-based morphometry study. Psychol Med 2023; 53:6077-6089. [PMID: 36305572 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722003269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Binge eating disorder (BED) is a pernicious psychiatric disorder which is linked with broad medical and psychiatric morbidity, and obesity. While BED may be characterized by altered cortical morphometry, no evidence to date examined possible sex-differences in regional gray matter characteristics among those with BED. This is especially important to consider in children, where BED symptoms often emerge coincident with rapid gray matter maturation. METHODS Pre-adolescent, 9-10-year old boys (N = 38) and girls (N = 33) with BED were extracted from the 3.0 baseline (Year 0) release of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. We investigated sex differences in gray matter density (GMD) via voxel-based morphometry. Control sex differences were also assessed in age and body mass index and developmentally matched control children (boys N = 36; girls N = 38). Among children with BED, we additionally assessed the association between dorsolateral prefrontal (dlPFC) GMD and parent-reported behavioral approach and inhibition tendencies. RESULTS Girls with BED uniquely demonstrate diffuse clusters of greater GMD (p < 0.05, Threshold Free Cluster Enhancement corrected) in the (i) left dlPFC (p = 0.003), (ii) bilateral dmPFC (p = 0.004), (iii) bilateral primary motor and somatosensory cortex (p = 0.0003) and (iv) bilateral precuneus (p = 0.007). Brain-behavioral associations suggest a unique negative correlation between GMD in the left dlPFC and behavioral approach tendencies among girls with BED. CONCLUSIONS Early-onset BED may be characterized by regional sex differences in terms of its underlying gray matter morphometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart B Murray
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joel P Diaz-Fong
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christina J Duval
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ane A Balkchyan
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jason M Nagata
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Darrin J Lee
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- USC Neurorestoration Center, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kyle T Ganson
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Arthur W Toga
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steven J Siegel
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kay Jann
- USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Itoh N, Itoh Y, Meyer CE, Suen TT, Cortez-Delgado D, Rivera Lomeli M, Wendin S, Somepalli SS, Golden LC, MacKenzie-Graham A, Voskuhl RR. Estrogen receptor beta in astrocytes modulates cognitive function in mid-age female mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6044. [PMID: 37758709 PMCID: PMC10533869 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41723-7] [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: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Menopause is associated with cognitive deficits and brain atrophy, but the brain region and cell-specific mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we identify a sex hormone by age interaction whereby loss of ovarian hormones in female mice at midlife, but not young age, induced hippocampal-dependent cognitive impairment, dorsal hippocampal atrophy, and astrocyte and microglia activation with synaptic loss. Selective deletion of estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) in astrocytes, but not neurons, in gonadally intact female mice induced the same brain effects. RNA sequencing and pathway analyses of gene expression in hippocampal astrocytes from midlife female astrocyte-ERβ conditional knock out (cKO) mice revealed Gluconeogenesis I and Glycolysis I as the most differentially expressed pathways. Enolase 1 gene expression was increased in hippocampi from both astrocyte-ERβ cKO female mice at midlife and from postmenopausal women. Gain of function studies showed that ERβ ligand treatment of midlife female mice reversed dorsal hippocampal neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Itoh
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yuichiro Itoh
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cassandra E Meyer
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Timothy Takazo Suen
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Diego Cortez-Delgado
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Sophia Wendin
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sri Sanjana Somepalli
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lisa C Golden
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Allan MacKenzie-Graham
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rhonda R Voskuhl
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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9
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Kim TH, Kim B, Kim YR, Jeong CW, Lee YH. Gray matter differences associated with menopausal hormone therapy in menopausal women: a DARTEL-based VBM study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1401. [PMID: 36697505 PMCID: PMC9877025 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28673-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) in women can reduce troublesome menopause symptoms and prevent cognitive decline. This cross-sectional study investigated the MHT-related effect on brain morphology and its association with sex hormones in menopausal women by using an optimized diffeomorphic anatomical registration through exponentiated Lie algebra (DARTEL)-based voxel-based morphometry (VBM) method. Twenty-one menopausal women without MHT (noMHT) and 20 menopausal women with MHT were included in this study. Magnetic resonance imaging data were processed using SPM 12 with DARTEL-based VBM whole brain analysis approach. A 2-sample t-test and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) adjusting for age and total intracranial volume were used to compare GM volume between noMHT and MHT women. The association between MHT (treatment period, hormones levels) and brain volume variations were analyzed by Spearman correlation. MHT women showed significantly larger volumes of the superior/middle/inferior frontal gyri, hypothalamus, inferior temporal gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, hippocampus, cerebellar cortex, postcentral gyrus, precuneus, angular gyrus, supplementary motor area, superior occipital gyrus, and precentral gyrus compared to the noMHT women. The volumes of the angular gyrus and hypothalamus in MHT women positively correlated with treatment period. On the other hand, the hypothalamic volume negatively correlated with FSH and LH levels, and the volumes of the inferior frontal gyrus, and angular gyrus negatively correlated with progesterone levels, respectively. MHT-treated women showed larger GM volume than noMHT women. The anatomical structures that showed greater volume in association with MHT included the deep brain areas, frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital gyri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Hoon Kim
- Medical Convergence Research Center, Wonkwang University and Hospital, Iksan, 54538, Republic of Korea.
| | - ByoungRyun Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wonkwang University Hospital, Iksan, 54538, Republic of Korea
| | - Youe Ree Kim
- Department of Radiology, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, 54538, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Won Jeong
- Medical Convergence Research Center, Wonkwang University and Hospital, Iksan, 54538, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hwan Lee
- Department of Radiology, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, 54538, Republic of Korea
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10
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Turek J, Gąsior Ł. Estrogen fluctuations during the menopausal transition are a risk factor for depressive disorders. Pharmacol Rep 2023; 75:32-43. [PMID: 36639604 PMCID: PMC9889489 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-022-00444-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Women are significantly more likely to develop depression than men. Fluctuations in the ovarian estrogen hormone levels are closely linked with women's well-being. This narrative review discusses the available knowledge on the role of estrogen in modulating brain function and the correlation between changes in estrogen levels and the development of depression. Equally discussed are the possible mechanisms underlying these effects, including the role of estrogen in modulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor activity, serotonin neurotransmission, as well as the induction of inflammatory response and changes in metabolic activity, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Turek
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Smetna 12 Street, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
| | - Łukasz Gąsior
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Smetna 12 Street, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
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11
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Isoflavone-Enriched Soybean Leaves (Glycine Max) Alleviate Cognitive Impairment Induced by Ovariectomy and Modulate PI3K/Akt Signaling in the Hippocampus of C57BL6 Mice. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14224753. [PMID: 36432439 PMCID: PMC9697522 DOI: 10.3390/nu14224753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The estrogen decline during perimenopause can induce various disorders, including cognitive impairment. Phytoestrogens, such as isoflavones, lignans, and coumestans, have been tried as a popular alternative to avoid the side effects of conventional hormone replacement therapy, but their exact mechanisms and risk are not fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of isoflavone-enriched soybean leaves (IESLs) on the cognitive impairment induced by ovariectomy in female mice. (2) Methods: Ovariectomy was performed at 9 weeks of age to mimic menopausal women, and the behavior tests for cognition were conducted 15 weeks after the first administration. IESLs were administered for 18 weeks. (3) Results: The present study showed the effects of IESLs on the cognitive function in the OVX (ovariectomized) mice. Ovariectomy markedly increased the body weight and fat accumulation in the liver and perirenal fat, but IESL treatment significantly inhibited them. In the behavioral tests, ovariectomy impaired cognitive functions, but administration of IESLs restored it. In addition, in the OVX mice, administration of IESLs restored decreased estrogen receptor (ER) β and PI3K/Akt expression in the hippocampus. (4) Conclusions: The positive effects of IESLs on cognitive functions may be closely related to the ER-mediated PI3/Akt signaling pathway in the hippocampus.
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12
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Borgsted C, Høgh S, Høgsted ES, Fonnesbech‐Sandberg L, Ekelund K, Albrechtsen CK, Wiis JT, Hegaard H, Cvetanovska E, Juul A, Frederiksen H, Pinborg A, Weikop P, Frokjaer V. The role of central serotonergic markers and estradiol changes in perinatal mental health. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2022; 146:357-369. [PMID: 35729864 PMCID: PMC9796905 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Women have an increased risk for mental distress and depressive symptoms in relation to pregnancy and birth. The serotonin transporter (SERT) may be involved in the emergence of depressive symptoms postpartum and during other sex-hormone transitions. It may be associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of the main serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA). In 100 healthy pregnant women, who were scheduled to deliver by cesarean section (C-section), we evaluated 5-HIAA and estradiol contributions to mental distress 5 weeks postpartum. METHODS Eighty-two women completed the study. CSF collected at C-section was analyzed for 5-HIAA, with high performance liquid chromatography. Serum estradiol concentrations were quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry before C-section and postpartum. Postpartum mental distress was evaluated with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Associations between EPDS, 5-HIAA, and Δestradiol were evaluated in linear regression models adjusted for age, parity and SERT genotype. RESULTS Higher levels of postpartum mental distress symptoms were negatively associated with a large decrease in estradiol concentrations (βΔE2 = 0.73, p = 0.007) and, on a trend level, positively associated with high antepartum 5-HIAA levels (β5-HIAA = 0.002, p = 0.06). CONCLUSION In a cohort of healthy pregnant women, postpartum mental distress was higher in women with high antepartum 5-HIAA (trend) and lower in women with a large perinatal estradiol decrease. We speculate that high antepartum 5-HIAA is a proxy of SERT levels, that carry over to the postpartum period and convey susceptibility to mental distress. In healthy women, the postpartum return to lower estradiol concentrations may promote mental well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Borgsted
- Neurobiology Research UnitCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ RigshospitaletCopenhagenDenmark,Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of DenmarkCopenhagenDenmark,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Stinne Høgh
- Neurobiology Research UnitCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ RigshospitaletCopenhagenDenmark,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark,Department of ObstetricsCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ RigshospitaletCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Emma Sofie Høgsted
- Neurobiology Research UnitCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ RigshospitaletCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Kim Ekelund
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Juliane Marie CenterCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ RigshospitaletCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Charlotte Krebs Albrechtsen
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Juliane Marie CenterCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ RigshospitaletCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Julie Therese Wiis
- Department of AnaesthesiologyCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ HerlevHerlevDenmark
| | - Hanne Hegaard
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark,Department of ObstetricsCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ RigshospitaletCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Eleonora Cvetanovska
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Herlev HospitalCopenhagen University HospitalHerlevDenmark
| | - Anders Juul
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark,Department of Growth and ReproductionCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ RigshospitaletCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Hanne Frederiksen
- Department of Growth and ReproductionCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ RigshospitaletCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Anja Pinborg
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark,Department of FertilityCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ RigshospitaletCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Pia Weikop
- Center for Translational NeuromedicineUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Vibe Frokjaer
- Neurobiology Research UnitCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ RigshospitaletCopenhagenDenmark,Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of DenmarkCopenhagenDenmark,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagenDenmark
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13
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Borgsted C, Hoegsted E, Henningsson S, Pinborg A, Ganz M, Frokjaer VG. Hippocampal volume changes in a pharmacological sex-hormone manipulation risk model for depression in women. Horm Behav 2022; 145:105234. [PMID: 35905507 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105234] [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: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Hormone transition phases may trigger depression in some women, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In a pharmacological sex-hormone manipulation model, we previously reported that estradiol reductions, induced with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa), provoked subclinical depressive symptoms in healthy women, especially if neocortical serotonin transporter (SERT) binding also increased. Within this model, we here evaluated if GnRHa, compared to placebo, reduced hippocampal volume, in a manner that depended on the magnitude of the estradiol decrease and SERT binding, and if this decrease translated to the emergence of subclinical depressive symptoms. Sixty-three healthy, naturally cycling women were included in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled GnRHa-intervention study. We quantified the change from baseline to follow-up (n = 60) in serum estradiol (ΔEstradiol), neocortical SERT binding ([11C] DASB positron emission tomography; ΔSERT), subclinical depressive symptoms (Hamilton depression rating scale; ΔHAMD-17), and hippocampal volume (magnetic resonance imaging data analyzed in Freesurfer 7.1, ΔHippocampus). Group differences in ΔHippocampus were evaluated in a t-test. Within the GnRHa group, associations between ΔEstradiol, ΔHippocampus, and ΔHAMD-17, in addition to ΔSERT-by-ΔEstradiol interaction effects on ΔHippocampus, were evaluated with linear regression models. Mean ΔHippocampus was not significantly different between the GnRHa and placebo group. Within the GnRHa group, hippocampal volume reductions were associated with the magnitude of estradiol decrease (p = 0.04, Cohen's f2 = 0.18), controlled for baseline SERT binding, but not subclinical depressive symptoms. There was no ΔSERT-by-ΔEstradiol interaction effects on ΔHippocampus. If replicated, our data highlight a possible association between estradiol fluctuations and hippocampal plasticity, adjusted for serotonergic contributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Borgsted
- Neurobiology Research Unit and Center for Integrated Molecular Brain Imaging, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, 6-8 Inge Lehmanns Vej, Building 8057, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark; Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark, Kristineberg 3, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Emma Hoegsted
- Neurobiology Research Unit and Center for Integrated Molecular Brain Imaging, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, 6-8 Inge Lehmanns Vej, Building 8057, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Susanne Henningsson
- Neurobiology Research Unit and Center for Integrated Molecular Brain Imaging, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, 6-8 Inge Lehmanns Vej, Building 8057, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark; Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Hvidovre Hospital, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Anja Pinborg
- Department of Fertility, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Melanie Ganz
- Neurobiology Research Unit and Center for Integrated Molecular Brain Imaging, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, 6-8 Inge Lehmanns Vej, Building 8057, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark; Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 1, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark
| | - Vibe G Frokjaer
- Neurobiology Research Unit and Center for Integrated Molecular Brain Imaging, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, 6-8 Inge Lehmanns Vej, Building 8057, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark; Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark, Kristineberg 3, 2100 Copenhagen O, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.
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14
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Jett S, Schelbaum E, Jang G, Boneu Yepez C, Dyke JP, Pahlajani S, Diaz Brinton R, Mosconi L. Ovarian steroid hormones: A long overlooked but critical contributor to brain aging and Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:948219. [PMID: 35928995 PMCID: PMC9344010 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.948219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian hormones, particularly 17β-estradiol, are involved in numerous neurophysiological and neurochemical processes, including those subserving cognitive function. Estradiol plays a key role in the neurobiology of aging, in part due to extensive interconnectivity of the neural and endocrine system. This aspect of aging is fundamental for women's brains as all women experience a drop in circulating estradiol levels in midlife, after menopause. Given the importance of estradiol for brain function, it is not surprising that up to 80% of peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women report neurological symptoms including changes in thermoregulation (vasomotor symptoms), mood, sleep, and cognitive performance. Preclinical evidence for neuroprotective effects of 17β-estradiol also indicate associations between menopause, cognitive aging, and Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia affecting nearly twice more women than men. Brain imaging studies demonstrated that middle-aged women exhibit increased indicators of AD endophenotype as compared to men of the same age, with onset in perimenopause. Herein, we take a translational approach to illustrate the contribution of ovarian hormones in maintaining cognition in women, with evidence implicating menopause-related declines in 17β-estradiol in cognitive aging and AD risk. We will review research focused on the role of endogenous and exogenous estrogen exposure as a key underlying mechanism to neuropathological aging in women, with a focus on whether brain structure, function and neurochemistry respond to hormone treatment. While still in development, this research area offers a new sex-based perspective on brain aging and risk of AD, while also highlighting an urgent need for better integration between neurology, psychiatry, and women's health practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Jett
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Eva Schelbaum
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Grace Jang
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Camila Boneu Yepez
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jonathan P. Dyke
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Silky Pahlajani
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Roberta Diaz Brinton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Lisa Mosconi
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
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15
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Zavaliangos‐Petropulu A, Lo B, Donnelly MR, Schweighofer N, Lohse K, Jahanshad N, Barisano G, Banaj N, Borich MR, Boyd LA, Buetefisch CM, Byblow WD, Cassidy JM, Charalambous CC, Conforto AB, DiCarlo JA, Dula AN, Egorova‐Brumley N, Etherton MR, Feng W, Fercho KA, Geranmayeh F, Hanlon CA, Hayward KS, Hordacre B, Kautz SA, Khlif MS, Kim H, Kuceyeski A, Lin DJ, Liu J, Lotze M, MacIntosh BJ, Margetis JL, Mohamed FB, Piras F, Ramos‐Murguialday A, Revill KP, Roberts PS, Robertson AD, Schambra HM, Seo NJ, Shiroishi MS, Stinear CM, Soekadar SR, Spalletta G, Taga M, Tang WK, Thielman GT, Vecchio D, Ward NS, Westlye LT, Werden E, Winstein C, Wittenberg GF, Wolf SL, Wong KA, Yu C, Brodtmann A, Cramer SC, Thompson PM, Liew S. Chronic Stroke Sensorimotor Impairment Is Related to Smaller Hippocampal Volumes: An ENIGMA Analysis. J Am Heart Assoc 2022; 11:e025109. [PMID: 35574963 PMCID: PMC9238563 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.025109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background Persistent sensorimotor impairments after stroke can negatively impact quality of life. The hippocampus is vulnerable to poststroke secondary degeneration and is involved in sensorimotor behavior but has not been widely studied within the context of poststroke upper-limb sensorimotor impairment. We investigated associations between non-lesioned hippocampal volume and upper limb sensorimotor impairment in people with chronic stroke, hypothesizing that smaller ipsilesional hippocampal volumes would be associated with greater sensorimotor impairment. Methods and Results Cross-sectional T1-weighted magnetic resonance images of the brain were pooled from 357 participants with chronic stroke from 18 research cohorts of the ENIGMA (Enhancing NeuoImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis) Stroke Recovery Working Group. Sensorimotor impairment was estimated from the FMA-UE (Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity). Robust mixed-effects linear models were used to test associations between poststroke sensorimotor impairment and hippocampal volumes (ipsilesional and contralesional separately; Bonferroni-corrected, P<0.025), controlling for age, sex, lesion volume, and lesioned hemisphere. In exploratory analyses, we tested for a sensorimotor impairment and sex interaction and relationships between lesion volume, sensorimotor damage, and hippocampal volume. Greater sensorimotor impairment was significantly associated with ipsilesional (P=0.005; β=0.16) but not contralesional (P=0.96; β=0.003) hippocampal volume, independent of lesion volume and other covariates (P=0.001; β=0.26). Women showed progressively worsening sensorimotor impairment with smaller ipsilesional (P=0.008; β=-0.26) and contralesional (P=0.006; β=-0.27) hippocampal volumes compared with men. Hippocampal volume was associated with lesion size (P<0.001; β=-0.21) and extent of sensorimotor damage (P=0.003; β=-0.15). Conclusions The present study identifies novel associations between chronic poststroke sensorimotor impairment and ipsilesional hippocampal volume that are not caused by lesion size and may be stronger in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artemis Zavaliangos‐Petropulu
- Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics InstituteKeck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
- Neuroscience Graduate ProgramUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - Bethany Lo
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational TherapyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - Miranda R. Donnelly
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational TherapyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - Nicolas Schweighofer
- Biokinesiology and Physical TherapyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - Keith Lohse
- Physical Therapy and NeurologyWashington University School of Medicine in Saint LouisMO
| | - Neda Jahanshad
- Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics InstituteKeck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - Giuseppe Barisano
- Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics InstituteKeck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
- Neuroscience Graduate ProgramUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - Nerisa Banaj
- Laboratory of NeuropsychiatryIRCCS Santa Lucia FoundationRomeItaly
| | - Michael R. Borich
- Division of Physical TherapyDepartment of Rehabilitation MedicineEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA
| | - Lara A. Boyd
- Department of Physical TherapyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverCanada
| | | | - Winston D. Byblow
- Department of Exercise Sciences, and Centre for Brain ResearchUniversity of AucklandNew Zealand
| | - Jessica M. Cassidy
- Department of Allied Health SciencesUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillNC
| | - Charalambos C. Charalambous
- Department of Basic and Clinical SciencesUniversity of Nicosia Medical SchoolNicosiaCyprus
- Center for Neuroscience and Integrative Brain Research (CENIBRE)NicosiaCyprus
| | - Adriana B. Conforto
- Hospital das ClínicasSão Paulo UniversitySão PauloBrazil
- Hospital Israelita Albert EinsteinSão PauloBrazil
| | - Julie A. DiCarlo
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (CNTR)Massachusetts General HospitalBostonMA
| | - Adrienne N. Dula
- Department of NeurologyDell Medical SchoolUniversity of Texas at AustinTX
| | | | - Mark R. Etherton
- Department of NeurologyJ. Philip Kistler Stroke Research CenterMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMA
| | - Wuwei Feng
- Department of NeurologyDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNC
| | - Kelene A. Fercho
- Basic Biomedical SciencesUniversity of South DakotaVermillionSD
- Federal Aviation AdministrationCivil Aerospace Medical InstituteOklahoma CityOK
| | | | | | - Kathryn S. Hayward
- Departments of Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of MelbourneHeidelbergVictoriaAustralia
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthHeidelbergVictoriaAustralia
| | - Brenton Hordacre
- Innovation, Implementation and Clinical Translation (IIMPACT) in HealthAllied Health and Human PerformanceUniversity of South AustraliaAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Steven A. Kautz
- Ralph H Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical CenterCharlestonSC
- Department of Health Sciences & ResearchMedical University of South CarolinaCharlestonSC
| | - Mohamed Salah Khlif
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthHeidelbergVictoriaAustralia
| | - Hosung Kim
- Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics InstituteKeck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - Amy Kuceyeski
- Department of RadiologyWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNY
| | - David J. Lin
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery (CNTR)Massachusetts General HospitalBostonMA
| | - Jingchun Liu
- Department of RadiologyTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Martin Lotze
- Functional ImagingInstitute for Diagnostic Radiology and NeuroradiologyUniversity Medicine GreifswaldGermany
| | - Bradley J. MacIntosh
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences ProgramSunnybrook Research InstituteTorontoCanada
- Department of Medical BiophysicsUniversity of TorontoOntarioCanada
| | - John L. Margetis
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational TherapyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - Feroze B. Mohamed
- Department of RadiologyJefferson Integrated MR CenterThomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Fabrizio Piras
- Laboratory of NeuropsychiatryIRCCS Santa Lucia FoundationRomeItaly
| | - Ander Ramos‐Murguialday
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral NeurobiologyUniversity of TübingenGermany
- Health DivisionTECNALIASan SebastianSpain
| | | | - Pamela S. Roberts
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational TherapyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
- Department of Physical Medicine and RehabilitationCedars‐SinaiLos AngelesCA
| | - Andrew D. Robertson
- Department of Kinesiology and Health SciencesUniversity of WaterlooOntarioCanada
| | - Heidi M. Schambra
- Departments of Neurology & Rehabilitation MedicineNYU LangoneNew YorkNY
| | - Na Jin Seo
- Ralph H Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical CenterCharlestonSC
- Department of Rehabilitation SciencesDepartment of Health Science and ResearchMedical University of South CarolinaCharlestonSC
| | - Mark S. Shiroishi
- Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics InstituteKeck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
- Department of RadiologyKeck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | | | - Surjo R. Soekadar
- Clinical Neurotechnology LaboratoryDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurosciences (CCM)Charité ‐ Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | | | - Myriam Taga
- NYU Langone Department of NeurologyNew YorkNY
| | - Wai Kwong Tang
- Department of PsychiatryThe Chinese University of Hong KongChina
| | - Gregory T. Thielman
- Department of Physical Therapy and NeuroscienceUniversity of the SciencesPhiladelphiaPA
| | - Daniela Vecchio
- Laboratory of NeuropsychiatryIRCCS Santa Lucia FoundationRomeItaly
| | - Nick S. Ward
- University College London Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Lars T. Westlye
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of OsloNorway
- Department of Mental Health and AddictionOslo University HospitalOsloNorway
| | - Emilio Werden
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthHeidelbergVictoriaAustralia
- Melbourne Dementia Research CenterUniversity of MelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Carolee Winstein
- Biokinesiology and Physical TherapyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - George F. Wittenberg
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of PittsburghPA
- Department of Veterans AffairsGeriatrics Research Educational & Clinical CenterVeterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS)PittsburghPA
| | - Steven L. Wolf
- Division of Physical TherapyDepartment of Rehabilitation MedicineEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA
- Department of MedicineEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGA
| | - Kristin A. Wong
- Department of Physical Medicine & RehabilitationDell Medical SchoolUniversity of Texas at AustinTX
| | - Chunshui Yu
- Department of RadiologyTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Amy Brodtmann
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthHeidelbergVictoriaAustralia
| | - Steven C. Cramer
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of California Los AngelesDavid Geffen School of MedicineLos AngelesCA
- California Rehabilitation HospitalLos AngelesCA
| | - Paul M. Thompson
- Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics InstituteKeck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
| | - Sook‐Lei Liew
- Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics InstituteKeck School of Medicine, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational TherapyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
- Biokinesiology and Physical TherapyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCA
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16
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Scene memory and hippocampal volume in middle-aged women with early hormone loss. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 117:97-106. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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17
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Zhang S, Fan W, Hu H, Wen L, Gong M, Liu B, Hu J, Li G, Zhang D. Subcortical Volume Changes in Early Menopausal Women and Correlation With Neuropsychological Tests. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:738679. [PMID: 34955807 PMCID: PMC8692945 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.738679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The aging process and declining estradiol levels are two important factors that cause structural brain alterations. Many prior studies have investigated these two elements and revealed controversial results in menopausal women. Here, a cross-sectional study was designed to individually evaluate estradiol-related structural changes in the brain. Methods: A total of 45 early menopausal women and 54 age-matched premenopausal controls were enrolled and subjected to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, blood biochemistry tests, and neuropsychological tests. MRI structural images were analyzed using FreeSurfer to detect changes in subcortical and cortical volumes as well as cortical thickness. Finally, structural brain data as well as clinical and neuropsychological data were used for Pearson's correlation analyses to individually determine estradiol-related structural and functional changes in the brains of early menopausal women. Results: Compared with the premenopausal controls, the early menopausal women showed significant subcortical volumetric loss in the left amygdala and right amygdala, higher serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, more recognizable climacteric and depressive symptoms, decreased quality of sleep, and decreased working memory and executive functions. Simultaneously, FSH levels were related to lower working memory accuracy and longer working memory reaction time. Decreased subcortical volume in the bilateral amygdala was also related to lower working memory accuracy and longer executive reaction time in early menopausal women. Conclusion: The data suggest that estradiol deficiency in early menopausal women can lead to subcortical volume and functional brain changes, which may contribute to further understanding the neurobiological role of declined estradiol levels in early menopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Zhang
- Department of Radiology, XinQiao Hosptial, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Weijie Fan
- Department of Radiology, XinQiao Hosptial, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hao Hu
- Department of Radiology, XinQiao Hosptial, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Li Wen
- Department of Radiology, XinQiao Hosptial, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mingfu Gong
- Department of Radiology, XinQiao Hosptial, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Radiology, XinQiao Hosptial, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Junhao Hu
- Department of Radiology, XinQiao Hosptial, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guanghui Li
- Department of Radiology, XinQiao Hosptial, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, XinQiao Hosptial, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Azcoitia I, Mendez P, Garcia-Segura LM. Aromatase in the Human Brain. ANDROGENS: CLINICAL RESEARCH AND THERAPEUTICS 2021; 2:189-202. [PMID: 35024691 PMCID: PMC8744447 DOI: 10.1089/andro.2021.0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The aromatase cytochrome P450 (P450arom) enzyme, or estrogen synthase, which is coded by the CYP19A1 gene, is widely expressed in a subpopulation of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, astrocytes, and other cell types in the human brain. Experimental studies in laboratory animals indicate a prominent role of brain aromatization of androgens to estrogens in regulating different brain functions. However, the consequences of aromatase expression in the human brain remain poorly understood. Here, we summarize the current knowledge about aromatase expression in the human brain, abundant in the thalamus, amygdala, hypothalamus, cortex, and hippocampus and discuss its role in the regulation of sensory integration, body homeostasis, social behavior, cognition, language, and integrative functions. Since brain aromatase is affected by neurodegenerative conditions and may participate in sex-specific manifestations of autism spectrum disorders, major depressive disorder, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease, we discuss future avenues for research and potential clinical and therapeutic implications of the expression of aromatase in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iñigo Azcoitia
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Mendez
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis M. Garcia-Segura
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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Shea AK, Wolfman W, Fortier M, Soares CN. Guideline No. 422c: Menopause: Mood, Sleep, and Cognition. JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY CANADA 2021; 43:1316-1323.e1. [PMID: 34758906 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogc.2021.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Provide strategies for improving the care of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women based on the most recent published evidence. TARGET POPULATION Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS Target population will benefit from the most recent published scientific evidence provided via the information from their health care provider. No harms or costs are involved with this information since women will have the opportunity to choose among the different therapeutic options for the management of the symptoms and morbidities associated with menopause, including the option to choose no treatment. EVIDENCE Databases consulted were PubMed, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library for the years 2002-2020, and MeSH search terms were specific for each topic developed through the 7 chapters. VALIDATION METHODS The authors rated the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. See online Appendix A (Tables A1 for definitions and A2 for interpretations of strong and weak recommendations). INTENDED AUDIENCE: physicians, including gynaecologists, obstetricians, family physicians, internists, emergency medicine specialists; nurses, including registered nurses and nurse practitioners; pharmacists; medical trainees, including medical students, residents, fellows; and other providers of health care for the target population. SUMMARY STATEMENTS RECOMMENDATIONS.
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Shea AK, Wolfman W, Fortier M, Soares CN. Directive clinique n° 422c : Ménopause : Humeur, sommeil et cognition. JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY CANADA 2021; 43:1324-1333.e1. [PMID: 34555544 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogc.2021.09.007] [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] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIF Proposer des stratégies fondées sur les plus récentes données publiées pour améliorer les soins aux femmes ménopausées ou en périménopause. POPULATION CIBLE Les femmes ménopausées ou en périménopause. BéNéFICES, RISQUES ET COûTS: La population cible bénéficiera des plus récentes données scientifiques publiées communiquées par leurs fournisseurs de soins de santé. Aucun coût ni préjudice ne sont associés à cette information, car les femmes seront libres de choisir parmi les différentes options thérapeutiques, y compris le statu quo, pour la prise en charge des symptômes et morbidités associés à la ménopause. DONNéES PROBANTES: Les auteurs ont interrogé les bases de données PubMed, MEDLINE et Cochrane Library pour extraire des articles publiés entre 2002 et 2020 en utilisant des termes MeSH spécifiques à chacun des sujets abordés dans les 7 chapitres. MéTHODES DE VALIDATION: Les auteurs ont évalué la qualité des données probantes et la force des recommandations en utilisant l'approche d'évaluation, de développement et d'évaluation (GRADE). Voir l'annexe A en ligne (tableau A1 pour les définitions et tableau A2 pour l'interprétation des recommandations fortes et conditionnelles [faibles]). PROFESSIONNELS CONCERNéS: gynécologues, obstétriciens, médecins de famille, internistes, urgentologues, infirmières (autorisées et praticiennes), pharmaciens, stagiaires (étudiants en médecine, résidents, moniteurs cliniques) et autres fournisseurs de soins de santé pour la population cible. DÉCLARATIONS SOMMAIRES: RECOMMANDATIONS.
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21
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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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Rehbein E, Hornung J, Sundström Poromaa I, Derntl B. Shaping of the Female Human Brain by Sex Hormones: A Review. Neuroendocrinology 2021; 111:183-206. [PMID: 32155633 DOI: 10.1159/000507083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Traditionally sex hormones have been associated with reproductive and developmental processes only. Since the 1950s we know that hormones can have organizational effects on the developing brain and initiate hormonal transition periods such as puberty. However, recent evidence shows that sex hormones additionally structure the brain during important hormonal transition periods across a woman's life including short-term fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. However, a comprehensive review focusing on structural changes during all hormonal transition phases of women is still missing. Therefore, in this review structural changes across hormonal transition periods (i.e., puberty, menstrual cycle, oral contraceptive intake, pregnancy and menopause) were investigated in a structured way and correlations with sex hormones evaluated. Results show an overall reduction in grey matter and region-specific decreases in prefrontal, parietal and middle temporal areas during puberty. Across the menstrual cycle grey matter plasticity in the hippocampus, the amygdala as well as temporal and parietal regions were most consistently reported. Studies reporting on pre- and post-pregnancy measurements revealed volume reductions in midline structures as well as prefrontal and temporal cortices. During perimenopause, the decline in sex hormones was paralleled with a reduction in hippocampal and parietal cortex volume. Brain volume changes were significantly correlated with estradiol, testosterone and progesterone levels in some studies, but directionality remains inconclusive between studies. These results indicate that sex hormones play an important role in shaping women's brain structure during different transition periods and are not restricted to specific developmental periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Rehbein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Innovative Neuroimaging, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany,
| | - Jonas Hornung
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Innovative Neuroimaging, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Innovative Neuroimaging, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Lead Graduate School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Pinkas J, Bojar I, Gujski M, Sarecka-Hujar B, Owoc A, Raczkiewicz D. Effect of interactions between APOE and ESR1 polymorphisms on cognitive functions in postmenopausal women. Arch Med Sci 2021; 17:31-39. [PMID: 33488853 PMCID: PMC7811303 DOI: 10.5114/aoms.2018.72972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION During menopause the level of estrogens is decreased, which may lead to cognitive impairment or dementia. Some forms of genetic polymorphism were found to be related to cognitive functions, including APOE and ESR1 (PvuII and XbaI) polymorphisms. In the present study we aimed to analyze the impact of interactions between APOE and ESR1 polymorphisms on cognitive functions in the group of postmenopausal women. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study group consisted of 266 postmenopausal women aged 50-65 years without symptoms of dementia. A computerized battery of the Central Nervous System Vital Signs (CNS VS) test was used to diagnose cognitive functions. APOE and ESR1 polymorphisms were genotyped using multiplex PCR and PCR-RFLP methods, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using two-way analysis of variance in Statistica software. RESULTS The best memory, visual memory, processing and psychomotor speeds were found in women carrying the C allele of the PvuII polymorphism (TC + CC genotypes) in the presence of the APOE ε2/ε3 genotype, while a lower outcome was noted in women with ε3/ε3, and the lowest if they had the ε4 allele. In the case of women with TT genotype of the PvuII polymorphism, cognitive functioning did not decrease in women with the ε4 allele. A similar effect on cognitive functions was observed for AG + GG genotypes of the XbaI and APOE polymorphisms. Women who simultaneously carried CC PvuII and GG XbaI genotypes had the lowest cognitive functions. CONCLUSIONS Interactions of polymorphic variants of APOE and ESR1 genes influenced cognitive functions in postmenopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarosław Pinkas
- School of Public Health, Center of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Iwona Bojar
- Department of Women’s Health, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland
| | - Mariusz Gujski
- Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards and Allergology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland
| | - Beata Sarecka-Hujar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Alfred Owoc
- Polish Society of Social Medicine and Public Health, Poland
| | - Dorota Raczkiewicz
- Department of Demography, Institute of Statistics and Demography, Collegium of Economic Analysis, SGH Warsaw School of Economics, Warsaw, Poland
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Conley AC, Albert KM, Boyd BD, Kim SG, Shokouhi S, McDonald BC, Saykin AJ, Dumas JA, Newhouse PA. Cognitive complaints are associated with smaller right medial temporal gray-matter volume in younger postmenopausal women. Menopause 2020; 27:1220-1227. [PMID: 33110037 PMCID: PMC9153070 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000001613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Menopause is associated with increasing cognitive complaints and older women are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer disease compared to men. However, there is difficulty in early markers of risk using objective performance measures. We investigated the impact of subjective cognitive complaints on the cortical structure in a sample of younger postmenopausal women. METHODS Data for this cross-sectional study were drawn from the baseline visit of a longer double-blind study examining estrogen-cholinergic interactions in normal postmenopausal women. Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging was acquired on 44 women, aged 50-60 years and gray-matter volume was defined by voxel-based morphometry. Subjective measures of cognitive complaints and postmenopausal symptoms were obtained as well as tests of verbal episodic and working memory performance. RESULTS Increased levels of cognitive complaints were associated with lower gray-matter volume in the right medial temporal lobe (r = -0.445, P < 0.002, R = 0.2). Increased depressive symptoms and somatic complaints were also related to increased cognitive complaints and smaller medial temporal volumes but did not mediate the effect of cognitive complaints. In contrast, there was no association between performance on the memory tasks and subjective cognitive ratings, or medial temporal lobe volume. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the present study indicate that the level of reported cognitive complaints in postmenopausal women may be associated with reduced gray-matter volume which may be associated with cortical changes that may increase risk of future cognitive decline. : Video Summary:http://links.lww.com/MENO/A626.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C. Conley
- Center for Cognitive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Kimberly M. Albert
- Center for Cognitive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Brian D. Boyd
- Center for Cognitive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Shin-Gyeom Kim
- Center for Cognitive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon Hospital, Republic of Korea
| | - Sepideh Shokouhi
- Center for Cognitive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Brenna C. McDonald
- Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
| | - Andrew J. Saykin
- Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
| | - Julie A. Dumas
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
| | - Paul A. Newhouse
- Center for Cognitive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Health System, Nashville, TN
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25
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Taylor CM, Pritschet L, Olsen RK, Layher E, Santander T, Grafton ST, Jacobs EG. Progesterone shapes medial temporal lobe volume across the human menstrual cycle. Neuroimage 2020; 220:117125. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
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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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Sex Hormone Depletion Augments Glucocorticoid Induction of Tau Hyperphosphorylation in Male Rat Brain. Neuroscience 2020; 454:140-150. [PMID: 32512138 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.05.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Steroid hormones secreted by the gonads (sex steroids) and adrenal glands (glucocorticoids, GC) are known to influence brain structure and function. While levels of sex steroids wane in late adulthood, corticosteroid levels tend to rise in many individuals due to age-related impairments in their feedback on central mechanisms regulating adrenal function. These fluctuations in sex and adrenal steroid secretion may be relevant to age-related neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) in which hyperphosphorylation of Tau protein is a key pathological event. We here report that both, long-term GC deprivation (by adrenalectomy) and exogenous GC administration with natural or synthetic glucocorticoid receptor ligands (corticosterone and dexamethasone, respectively) induce Tau hyperphosphorylation in the hippocampus and frontocortical regions at epitopes associated with disruption of cytoskeletal and synaptic function. Interestingly, we observed that the changes in Tau induced by manipulation of the GC milieu of male rats were exacerbated by testosterone depletion (by orchiectomy). While this finding supports previous suggestions of a neuroprotective role of male sex hormones, this is the first study to address interactions between adrenal and sex steroids on Tau hyperphosphorylation and accumulation that are known to endanger neuronal function and plasticity. These results are particularly important for understanding the mechanisms that can precipitate AD because, besides being modulated by age, GC are elevated by stress, a phenomenon now established as a trigger of deficits in neural plasticity and survival, cognitive behaviour and AD-like Tau pathology.
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Beltz AM, Moser JS. Ovarian hormones: a long overlooked but critical contributor to cognitive brain structures and function. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2020; 1464:156-180. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adriene M. Beltz
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
| | - Jason S. Moser
- Department of PsychologyMichigan State University East Lansing Michigan
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29
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Schneider MA, Spritzer PM, Suh JS, Minuzzi L, Frey BN, Schwarz K, Costa AB, da Silva DC, Garcia CCG, Fontanari AMV, Anes M, Castan JU, Cunegatto FR, Picon FA, Luders E, Lobato MIR. The Link between Estradiol and Neuroplasticity in Transgender Women after Gender-Affirming Surgery: A Bimodal Hypothesis. Neuroendocrinology 2020; 110:489-500. [PMID: 31461715 DOI: 10.1159/000502977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
For transgender individuals, gender-affirming surgery (GAS) and cross-sex hormone therapy (CSHT) are part of the gender transition process. Scientific evidence supporting the maintenance of CSHT after GAS-related gonadectomy is accumulating. However, few data are available on the impact of CSHT on the brain structure following hypogonadism. Thus, we aimed to investigate links between estradiol and brain cortical thickness (CTh) and cognition in 18 post-gonadectomy transgender women using a longitudinal design. For this purpose, the participants underwent a voluntary period of CSHT washout of at least 30 days, followed by estradiol re-institution for 60 days. High-resolution T1-weighted brain images, hormonal measures, working and verbal memory were collected at 2 time points: on the last day of the washout (t1) and on the last day of the 2-month CSHT period (t2). Between these 2 time points, CTh increased within the left precentral gyrus and right precuneus but decreased within the right lateral occipital cortex. However, these findings did not survive corrections of multiple comparisons. Nevertheless, there was a significant negative correlation between changes in estradiol levels and changes in CTh. This effect was evident in the left superior frontal gyrus, the left middle temporal gyrus, the right precuneus, the right superior temporal gyrus, and the right pars opercularis. Although there was an improvement in verbal memory following hypogonadism correction, we did not observe a significant relationship between changes in memory scores and CTh. Altogether, these findings suggest that there is a link between estradiol and CTh.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maiko A Schneider
- Gender Identity Program, Psychiatry Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil,
- Mood Disorders Program and Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada,
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada,
| | - Poli M Spritzer
- Gender Identity Program, Psychiatry Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Department of Physiology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Division of Endocrinology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jee Su Suh
- Mood Disorders Program and Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Luciano Minuzzi
- Mood Disorders Program and Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benicio N Frey
- Mood Disorders Program and Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karine Schwarz
- Gender Identity Program, Psychiatry Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Angelo B Costa
- Graduate Program in Psychology, Pontifícia Universidade do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Dhiordan C da Silva
- Gender Identity Program, Psychiatry Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Post-Graduation Program, Universidade Federal do Rio Grand do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Claudia C G Garcia
- Gender Identity Program, Psychiatry Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Post-Graduation Program, Universidade Federal do Rio Grand do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Anna M V Fontanari
- Gender Identity Program, Psychiatry Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Post-Graduation Program, Universidade Federal do Rio Grand do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Mauricio Anes
- Medical Physics and Radiation Protection Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Juliana U Castan
- Psychology Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Felipe A Picon
- ADHD Outpatient Program, Adult Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Eileen Luders
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Maria I R Lobato
- Gender Identity Program, Psychiatry Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Mood Disorders Program and Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Psychiatry and Forensic Medical Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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30
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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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31
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Buchpiguel M, Rosa P, Squarzoni P, Duran FL, Tamashiro-Duran JH, Leite CC, Lotufo P, Scazufca M, Alves TC, Busatto GF. Differences in Total Brain Volume between Sexes in a Cognitively Unimpaired Elderly Population. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2020; 75:e2245. [PMID: 33331399 PMCID: PMC7690962 DOI: 10.6061/clinics/2020/e2245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Although a large number of studies have shown brain volumetric differences between men and women, only a few investigations have analyzed brain tissue volumes in representative samples of the general elderly population. We investigated differences in gray matter (GM) volumes, white matter (WM) volumes, and intracranial volumes (ICVs) between the sexes in individuals older than 66 years using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS Using FreeSurfer version 5.3, we obtained the ICVs and GM and WM volumes from the MRI datasets of 84 men and 92 women. To correct for interindividual variations in ICV, GM and WM volumes were adjusted with a method using the residuals of a least-square-derived linear regression between raw volumes and ICVs. We then performed an analysis of covariance comparing men and women, including age and years of schooling as confounding factors. RESULTS Women had a lower socioeconomic status overall and fewer years of schooling than men. The comparison of unadjusted brain volumes showed larger GM and WM volumes in men. After the ICV correction, the adjusted volumes of GM and WM were larger in women. CONCLUSION After the ICV correction and taking into account differences in socioeconomic status and years of schooling, our results confirm previous findings of proportionally larger GM in women, as well as larger WM volumes. These results in an elderly population indicate that brain volumetric differences between sexes persist throughout the aging process. Additional studies combining MRI and other biomarkers to identify the hormonal and molecular bases influencing such differences are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Buchpiguel
- Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUSP), Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
- Laboratorio Neuro-Imagem em Psiquiatria (LIM/21), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUSP), Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
- Escola de Ciencias Medicas, Santa Casa de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo SP, BR
- *Corresponding Author. E-mail:
| | - Pedro Rosa
- Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUSP), Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Paula Squarzoni
- Laboratorio Neuro-Imagem em Psiquiatria (LIM/21), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUSP), Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Fabio L.S. Duran
- Laboratorio Neuro-Imagem em Psiquiatria (LIM/21), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUSP), Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Jaqueline H. Tamashiro-Duran
- Laboratorio Neuro-Imagem em Psiquiatria (LIM/21), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUSP), Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Claudia C. Leite
- Departamento de Radiologia, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUSP), Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Paulo Lotufo
- Unidade de Pesquisa Clinica e Epidemiologia, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUSP), Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Marcia Scazufca
- Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUSP), Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Tania C.T.F. Alves
- Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUSP), Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
| | - Geraldo F. Busatto
- Laboratorio Neuro-Imagem em Psiquiatria (LIM/21), Departamento e Instituto de Psiquiatria, Faculdade de Medicina (FMUSP), Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR
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Hillerer KM, Slattery DA, Pletzer B. Neurobiological mechanisms underlying sex-related differences in stress-related disorders: Effects of neuroactive steroids on the hippocampus. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 55:100796. [PMID: 31580837 PMCID: PMC7115954 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Men and women differ in their vulnerability to a variety of stress-related illnesses, but the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are not well understood. This is likely due to a comparative dearth of neurobiological studies that assess male and female rodents at the same time, while human neuroimaging studies often don't model sex as a variable of interest. These sex differences are often attributed to the actions of sex hormones, i.e. estrogens, progestogens and androgens. In this review, we summarize the results on sex hormone actions in the hippocampus and seek to bridge the gap between animal models and findings in humans. However, while effects of sex hormones on the hippocampus are largely consistent in animals and humans, methodological differences challenge the comparability of animal and human studies on stress effects. We summarise our current understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie sex-related differences in behavior and discuss implications for stress-related illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina M Hillerer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Salzburger Landeskrankenhaus (SALK), Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Clinical Research Center Salzburg (CRCS), Salzburg, Austria.
| | - David A Slattery
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Belinda Pletzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
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Taylor CM, Pritschet L, Yu S, Jacobs EG. Applying a Women's Health Lens to the Study of the Aging Brain. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:224. [PMID: 31333434 PMCID: PMC6625223 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A major challenge in neuroscience is to understand what happens to a brain as it ages. Such insights could make it possible to distinguish between individuals who will undergo typical aging and those at risk for neurodegenerative disease. Over the last quarter century, thousands of human brain imaging studies have probed the neural basis of age-related cognitive decline. "Aging" studies generally enroll adults over the age of 65, a historical precedent rooted in the average age of retirement. A consequence of this research tradition is that it overlooks one of the most significant neuroendocrine changes in a woman's life: the transition to menopause. The menopausal transition is marked by an overall decline in ovarian sex steroid production-up to 90% in the case of estradiol-a dramatic endocrine change that impacts multiple biological systems, including the brain. Despite sex differences in the risk for dementia, the influence that biological sex and sex hormones have on the aging brain is historically understudied, leaving a critical gap in our understanding of the aging process. In this Perspective article, we highlight the influence that endocrine factors have on the aging brain. We devote particular attention to the neural and cognitive changes that unfold in the middle decade of life, as a function of reproductive aging. We then consider emerging evidence from animal and human studies that other endocrine factors occurring earlier in life (e.g., pregnancy, hormonal birth control use) also shape the aging process. Applying a women's health lens to the study of the aging brain will advance knowledge of the neuroendocrine basis of cognitive aging and ensure that men and women get the full benefit of our research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin M. Taylor
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
- The Sage Center for the Study of the Mind, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Laura Pritschet
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Shuying Yu
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Emily G. Jacobs
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
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Abstract
There are 3 common physiological estrogens, of which estradiol (E2) is seen to decline rapidly over the menopausal transition. This decline in E2 has been associated with a number of changes in the brain, including cognitive changes, effects on sleep, and effects on mood. These effects have been demonstrated in both rodent and non-human preclinical models. Furthermore, E2 interactions have been indicated in a number of neuropsychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and depression. In normal brain aging, there are a number of systems that undergo changes and a number of these show interactions with E2, particularly the cholinergic system, the dopaminergic system, and mitochondrial function. E2 treatment has been shown to ameliorate some of the behavioral and morphological changes seen in preclinical models of menopause; however, in clinical populations, the effects of E2 treatment on cognitive changes after menopause are mixed. The future use of sex hormone treatment will likely focus on personalized or precision medicine for the prevention or treatment of cognitive disturbances during aging, with a better understanding of who may benefit from such treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason K Russell
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Carrie K Jones
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
- Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Paul A Newhouse
- Center for Cognitive Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA.
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Tennessee VA Health Systems, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA.
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Consumption of a soy drink has no effect on cognitive function but may alleviate vasomotor symptoms in post-menopausal women; a randomised trial. Eur J Nutr 2019; 59:755-766. [PMID: 30863894 PMCID: PMC7058672 DOI: 10.1007/s00394-019-01942-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cognitive decline is commonly reported during the menopausal transition, with memory and attention being particularly affected. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a commercially available soy drink on cognitive function and menopausal symptoms in post-menopausal women. METHODS 101 post-menopausal women, aged 44-63 years, were randomly assigned to consume a volume of soy drink providing a low (10 mg/day; control group), medium (35 mg/day), or high (60 mg/day) dose of isoflavones for 12 weeks. Cognitive function (spatial working memory, spatial span, pattern recognition memory, 5-choice reaction time, and match to sample visual search) was assessed using CANTAB pre- and post-the 12 week intervention. Menopausal symptoms were assessed using Greene's Climacteric Scale. RESULTS No significant differences were observed between the groups for any of the cognitive function outcomes measured. Soy drink consumption had no effect on menopausal symptoms overall; however, when women were stratified according to the severity of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) at baseline, women with more severe symptoms at baseline in the medium group had a significant reduction (P = 0.001) in VMS post-intervention (mean change from baseline score: - 2.15 ± 1.73) in comparison to those with less severe VMS (mean change from baseline score: 0.06 ± 1.21). CONCLUSIONS Soy drink consumption had no effect on cognitive function in post-menopausal women. Consumption of ~ 350 ml/day (35 mg IFs) for 12 weeks significantly reduced VMS in those with more severe symptoms at baseline. This finding is clinically relevant as soy drinks may provide an alternative, natural, treatment for alleviating VMS, highly prevalent among western women.
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Jacobs EG, Goldstein JM. The Middle-Aged Brain: Biological sex and sex hormones shape memory circuitry. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2018; 23:84-91. [PMID: 30271832 PMCID: PMC6157917 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2018.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily G. Jacobs
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara
| | - Jill M. Goldstein
- Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, Harvard Medical School
- Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Athinoula A. Martinos Brain Imaging Center, Massachusetts General Hospital
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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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Xiao Q, Luo Y, Lv F, He Q, Wu H, Chao F, Qiu X, Zhang L, Gao Y, Huang C, Wang S, Zhou C, Zhang Y, Jiang L, Tang Y. Protective Effects of 17β-Estradiol on Hippocampal Myelinated Fibers in Ovariectomized Middle-aged Rats. Neuroscience 2018; 385:143-153. [PMID: 29908214 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) improves hippocampus-dependent cognition. This study investigated the impact of estrogen on hippocampal volume, CA1 subfield volume and myelinated fibers in the CA1 subfield of middle-aged ovariectomized rats. Ten-month-old bilaterally ovariectomized (OVX) female rats were randomly divided into OVX + E2 and OVX + Veh groups. After four weeks of subcutaneous injection with 17β-estradiol or a placebo, the OVX + E2 rats exhibited significantly short mean escape latency in a spatial learning task than that in the OVX + Veh rats. Using stereological methods, we did not observe significant differences in the volumes of the hippocampus and CA1 subfields between the two groups. However, using stereological methods and electron microscopy techniques, the total length of myelinated fibers and the total volumes of myelinated fibers, myelin sheaths and myelinated axons in the CA1 subfields of OVX + E2 rats were significantly 38.1%, 34.2%, 36.1% and 32.5%, respectively, higher than those in the OVX + Veh rats. After the parameters were calculated according to different diameter ranges, the estrogen replacement-induced remodeling of myelinated fibers in CA1 was mainly manifested in the myelinated fibers with a diameter of <1.0 μm. Therefore, four weeks of continuous E2 replacement improved the spatial learning capabilities of middle-aged ovariectomized rats. The E2 replacement-induced protection of spatial learning abilities might be associated with the beneficial effects of estrogen on myelinated fibers, particularly those with the diameters less than 1.0 μm, in the hippocampal CA1 region of middle-aged ovariectomized rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Xiao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanmin Luo
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Fulin Lv
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Qi He
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Wu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Fenglei Chao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuan Qiu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Department of Geriatrics, First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunxia Huang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Department of Physiology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Sanrong Wang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunni Zhou
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Jiang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong Tang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China.
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Baker FC, Sattari N, de Zambotti M, Goldstone A, Alaynick WA, Mednick SC. Impact of sex steroids and reproductive stage on sleep-dependent memory consolidation in women. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 160:118-131. [PMID: 29574082 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Age and sex are two of the three major risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (ApoE-e4 allele is the third), with women having a twofold greater risk for Alzheimer's disease after the age of 75 years. Sex differences have been shown across a wide range of cognitive skills in young and older adults, and evidence supports a role for sex steroids, especially estradiol, in protecting against the development of cognitive decline in women. Sleep may also be a protective factor against age-related cognitive decline, since specific electrophysiological sleep events (e.g. sleep spindle/slow oscillation coupling) are critical for offline memory consolidation. Furthermore, studies in young women have shown fluctuations in sleep events and sleep-dependent memory consolidation during different phases of the menstrual cycle that are associated with the levels of sex steroids. An under-appreciated possibility is that there may be an important interaction between these two protective factors (sex steroids and sleep) that may play a role in daily fluctuations in cognitive processing, in particular memory, across a woman's lifespan. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of sex steroid-dependent influences on sleep and cognition across the lifespan in women, with special emphasis on sleep-dependent memory processing. We further indicate gaps in knowledge that require further experimental examination in order to fully appreciate the complex and changing landscape of sex steroids and cognition. Lastly, we propose a series of testable predictions for how sex steroids impact sleep events and sleep-dependent cognition across the three major reproductive stages in women (reproductive years, menopause transition, and post-menopause).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona C Baker
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Negin Sattari
- UC Irvine, Department of Cognitive Sciences, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | | | - Aimee Goldstone
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | | | - Sara C Mednick
- UC Irvine, Department of Cognitive Sciences, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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