1
|
Shihab S, Islam N, Kanani D, Marks L, Vegunta S. Alcohol use at midlife and in menopause: a narrative review. Maturitas 2024; 189:108092. [PMID: 39180900 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2024.108092] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder stands as a prevalent global issue, contributing to 140,000 annual deaths in the United States and causing numerous adverse health and socioeconomic outcomes. Despite being a natural physiological process, menopause often leads to troublesome symptoms that affect women's quality of life and exposes them to increased health risks. Our review delves into the intricate relationship between alcohol use disorder and the menopausal experience. We examine the impact of heightened alcohol consumption on the onset, severity, and burden of menopausal symptoms, particularly vasomotor symptoms. Additionally, we explore its effects on commonly experienced menopausal symptoms such as mood disturbances, sleep problems, and sexual dysfunction. Considering the chronic health conditions associated with both menopause and alcohol use disorder, our study also investigates the influence of alcohol use disorder on bone density. This is especially important due to the elevated risks and mortality linked to bone mineral density loss in menopausal women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Shihab
- Division of Women's Health Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, AZ, United States of America.
| | - Nadia Islam
- Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, AZ, United States of America
| | - Dalya Kanani
- Lake Erie School of Osteopathy, Bradenton, FL, United States of America
| | - Lisa Marks
- Department of Library Services, Mayo Clinic, AZ, United States of America
| | - Suneela Vegunta
- Division of Women's Health Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, AZ, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Grummisch JA, Sykes Tottenham L, Gordon JL. Within-person changes in reproductive hormones and cognition in the menopause transition. Maturitas 2023; 177:107804. [PMID: 37536173 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2023.107804] [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: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Most women complain of cognitive deficits in the menopause transition, though the cause is unclear. The current study investigated the role that within-person changes in reproductive hormones, particularly estradiol, may play in triggering such perimenopausal cognitive difficulties. STUDY DESIGN Participants were 43 women aged 45-55 years and currently in the menopause transition. Once a week for 12 weeks, participants provided a urine sample for the measurement of estrone glucuronide (E1G), a urinary metabolite of estradiol. Every three weeks across the 12-week period, participants also underwent cognitive testing, including assessments of immediate and delayed memory, attention, and executive function, and completed questionnaires assessing subjective cognitive performance. Potential confounding variables including sleep quality, vasomotor symptoms, and depressive symptoms were also assessed. RESULTS Within-person E1G was positively associated with objective measures of attention, particularly the ability to passively register auditory information on the first pass, as well as subjective measures of memory, specifically relating to a lower frequency of forgetting things in everyday life. Perimenopausal women with lower estimated levels of intellectual functioning furthermore exhibited a stronger relationship between E1G changes and objective cognitive performance. While depressive mood, poor sleep, and vasomotor symptoms were all negatively associated with at least one aspect of cognitive function, the E1G-cognition relationship was not explained by these factors. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that validates perimenopausal women's cognitive complaints but also suggests that cognitive deficits are generally mild and transient.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia A Grummisch
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | | | - Jennifer L Gordon
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhu C, Thomas EH, Li Q, Arunogiri S, Thomas N, Gurvich C. Evaluation of the Everyday Memory Questionnaire-Revised in a menopausal population: understanding the brain fog during menopause. Menopause 2023; 30:1147-1156. [PMID: 37788429 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000002256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Brain fog (ie, memory complaints and concentration difficulties) is frequently reported during the menopausal transition. There is lack of standardized scales available to measure brain fog across the menopausal transition. This study aimed to evaluate the factor structure of the Everyday Memory Questionnaire-Revised (EMQ-R) and to determine the most commonly reported everyday cognitive symptoms in a menopausal population. METHODS Four hundred seventeen eligible women aged from 40 to 60 years (107 premenopausal, 149 perimenopausal, and 161 early postmenopausal) were recruited from the general community and were included in the analyses. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test the model fit of the bifactor structure (ie, 4-item attentional subscale ranged 0-16, 7-item retrieval subscale ranged 0-28) of the 13-item EMQ-R (ranged 0-52) in a menopausal populations. Typical items in the retrieval subscale include "difficulty finding words," the attentional subscale include "difficulty following the thread of a story," and analysis of variance and multivariate analysis of covariance were used to investigate the group differences of individual items and two subscales. RESULTS Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the bifactor structure of the EMQ-R has a good fit in all three groups. A significant difference was identified in the mean retrieval scores (pre: 11.8, peri: 13.6, early post: 11.7) but not in the mean attentional scores (pre: 4.53, peri: 5.01, early post: 4.65). CONCLUSIONS The EMQ-R retrieval subscale may serve as a potential instrument to assess memory retrieval symptoms that contribute to "brain fog" in menopause. Increased memory retrieval complaints reported by the perimenopausal group suggests a transition-related memory retrieval dysfunction during menopausal transition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhu
- From the HER Centre Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Hx Thomas
- From the HER Centre Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Qi Li
- From the HER Centre Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Shalini Arunogiri
- Eastern Health Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Turning Point, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Natalie Thomas
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- From the HER Centre Australia, Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Metcalf CA, Duffy KA, Page CE, Novick AM. Cognitive Problems in Perimenopause: A Review of Recent Evidence. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2023; 25:501-511. [PMID: 37755656 PMCID: PMC10842974 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-023-01447-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review recent research regarding cognitive problems during perimenopause, including which menopause-related symptoms, demographic variables, stress exposures, and neural biomarkers are associated with cognitive problems and which interventions demonstrate efficacy at improving cognitive performance. RECENT FINDINGS Cognitive problems are common during perimenopause and have a significant impact on a substantial proportion of women. Evidence continues to indicate that verbal learning and verbal memory are the cognitive functions that are most negatively affected during perimenopause, and new research suggests that perimenopause may also be associated with deficits in processing speed, attention, and working memory. Recent research suggests that the cognitive profiles of women transitioning through perimenopause are heterogenous - with some showing strengths and others demonstrating weaknesses in particular cognitive domains. Depression, sleep problems, and vasomotor symptoms in perimenopause may be associated with cognitive difficulties. Recent neuroimaging studies are identifying changes in activity patterns within brain regions that correlate with cognitive performance in perimenopause, but future causal studies are needed to understand the neural mechanisms of cognitive problems during this time. Although clinical treatment studies for cognitive concerns have historically focused on postmenopause, some small trials in perimenopausal samples have been conducted recently but are frequently underpowered. Current guidelines from the North American Menopause Society do not support the use of hormone therapy at any age for cognitive problems. Animal research demonstrates that estradiol and levonorgestrel combined may alleviate working memory problems. Much progress has been made in understanding how perimenopause impacts cognition, and more research is needed to better identify who is at highest risk and how to meaningfully prevent and alleviate cognitive problems during this reproductive stage. Larger-scale randomized intervention trials specifically during perimenopause are urgently needed to address cognitive concerns in this population of women. More consistent reproductive staging, inclusion of covariates, and analyses examining perimenopause specifically would improve study quality and the ability to draw clear conclusions from this research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christina A Metcalf
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 1890 N. Revere Court MS F546, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Korrina A Duffy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 1890 N. Revere Court MS F546, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Chloe E Page
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 1890 N. Revere Court MS F546, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Andrew M Novick
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 1890 N. Revere Court MS F546, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Feng L, Bian L, Ning C, Zhang P, Zhao Y, Gao Z, Ping P, Fu S. Positive associations between sex hormones, bone metabolism and cognitive impairment in Chinese oldest-old females. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:562. [PMID: 37542223 PMCID: PMC10403843 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04957-9] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE With a rapid increase in older adults, progressive impairment in cognitive function has become an increasing concern owing to high social and economic burdens. The current study was designed to investigate the associations of sex hormones and bone metabolism with cognitive impairment (CI) in Chinese oldest-old females. METHODS There were 396 oldest-old females from the China Hainan Oldest-old Cohort Study (CHOCS). Following standardized procedures, Mini Mental State Examination was effectively completed, and sex hormones and bone metabolism were assessed in these females. RESULTS The median age of all females was 101 years (range: from 80 to 116). There were 340 females (86%) with CI. Participants with CI had significantly higher levels of age, progesterone, prolactin and estradiol than those without CI (P < 0.05 for all). Total type I collagen N-terminal elongation peptide [hazard ratio (HR): 1.018, 95%CI: 1.001-1.035] and prolactin (HR: 1.065, 95%CI: 1.005-1.129) levels were positively and significantly associated with CI (P < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS Prolactin and total type I collagen N-terminal elongation peptide had positive associations with CI in Chinese oldest-old females. Thus, a balance in sex hormones and bone metabolism may have significant effects on cognitive function during the aging process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Long Feng
- Department of Anesthesia, Hainan Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Sanya, China
| | - Lihua Bian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hainan Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Sanya, China
| | - Chaoxue Ning
- Central Laboratory, Hainan Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Sanya, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yali Zhao
- Central Laboratory, Hainan Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Sanya, China.
| | - Zhitao Gao
- School of Laboratory Medicine, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China.
| | - Ping Ping
- General Station for Drug and Instrument Supervision and Control, Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.
| | - Shihui Fu
- Department of Cardiology, Hainan Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Sanya, China.
- Department of Geriatric Cardiology, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Woods NF, Coslov N, Richardson MK. Perimenopause meets life: observations from the Women Living Better Survey. Menopause 2022; 29:1388-1398. [PMID: 36194844 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000002072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of these analyses was to test a predictive quantitative model relating personal characteristics, reproductive aging stages, health behaviors, roles, stressors, and satisfaction with life roles to bothersome symptoms experienced during the late reproductive stage and the menopausal transition (MT). METHODS Participants (N = 2,406) aged 35 to 55 years completed the Women Living Better Survey online between March to August 2020, and 1,529 met the inclusion criteria and provided menstrual cycle data for staging reproductive aging. They were recruited from the Women Living Better newsletter and from other online groups of midlife women. Hierarchical regression analysis using a two-stage model tested the effect of several factors on each of five bothersome symptom groups: brain fog, volatile mood, fatigue/pain, vasomotor/sleep disruption, and anxiety/vigilance symptoms. In stage I, personal characteristics, reproductive aging stage, and health behaviors were examined, and in stage II roles (ie, caregiver, partner, employment-related), satisfaction with life roles and stressors associated with roles were added. RESULTS More bothersome brain fog symptoms were associated with less education, MT (vs late reproductive stage), low satisfaction with life roles, and greater health-related and overcommitment stress (all P < 0.005). More bothersome volatile mood symptoms were associated with health-related, partner relationship, and other relationship stress. More bothersome fatigue/pain symptoms were associated with less education and greater difficulty paying for basics and health-related and other relationship stress. Vasomotor/sleep-onset symptoms were associated with less education, MT, and health-related and work stress. More bothersome anxiety/vigilance symptoms were associated with less education, more difficulty paying for basics, and health and work stress. CONCLUSIONS Recognizing that midlife stress comes from many role- and relationship-related sources and that several of these stressors are associated with greater symptom bother supports the importance of proactive identification and management of sources of stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Fugate Woods
- From the Department of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Griksiene R, Monciunskaite R, Ruksenas O. What is there to know about the effects of progestins on the human brain and cognition? Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 67:101032. [PMID: 36029852 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Progestins are an important component of hormonal contraceptives (HCs) and hormone replacement therapies (HRTs). Despite an increasing number of studies elucidating the effects of HCs and HRTs, little is known about the effects of different types of progestins included in these medications on the brain. Animal studies suggest that various progestins interact differently with sex steroid, mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors and have specific modulatory effects on neurotransmitter systems and on the expression of neuropeptides, suggesting differential impacts on cognition and behavior. This review focuses on the currently available knowledge from human behavioral and neuroimaging studies pooled with evidence from animal research regarding the effects of progestins on the brain. The reviewed information is highly relevant for improving women's mental health and making informed choices regarding specific types of contraception or treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramune Griksiene
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | - Rasa Monciunskaite
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | - Osvaldas Ruksenas
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Orsini CA, Truckenbrod LM, Wheeler AR. Regulation of sex differences in risk-based decision making by gonadal hormones: Insights from rodent models. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104663. [PMID: 35661794 PMCID: PMC9893517 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Men and women differ in their ability to evaluate options that vary in their rewards and the risks that are associated with these outcomes. Most studies have shown that women are more risk averse than men and that gonadal hormones significantly contribute to this sex difference. Gonadal hormones can influence risk-based decision making (i.e., risk taking) by modulating the neurobiological substrates underlying this cognitive process. Indeed, estradiol, progesterone and testosterone modulate activity in the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and nucleus accumbens associated with reward and risk-related information. The use of animal models of decision making has advanced our understanding of the intersection between the behavioral, neural and hormonal mechanisms underlying sex differences in risk taking. This review will outline the current state of this literature, identify the current gaps in knowledge and suggest the neurobiological mechanisms by which hormones regulate risky decision making. Collectively, this knowledge can be used to understand the potential consequences of significant hormonal changes, whether endogenously or exogenously induced, on risk-based decision making as well as the neuroendocrinological basis of neuropsychiatric diseases that are characterized by impaired risk taking, such as substance use disorder and schizophrenia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin A. Orsini
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Department of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Correspondence to: Department of Psychology & Neurology, Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, 108 E. Dean Keaton St., Stop A8000, Austin, TX 78712, USA. (C.A. Orsini)
| | - Leah M. Truckenbrod
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Alexa-Rae Wheeler
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA,Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Peterson A, Gottesman RT, Miler EC, Tom SE. The association of vasomotor symptoms during the menopausal transition and cognition in later life. Menopause 2022; 29:832-839. [PMID: 35728018 PMCID: PMC10204076 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000001986] [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] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The majority of women experience vasomotor symptoms (VMS) during the menopausal transition. Whether self-reported VMS are associated with cognitive test performance later in life remains unclear. The goal of this study was to determine whether a greater burden of VMS is associated with poor later-life cognition. METHODS The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study is a prospective study of randomly selected Wisconsin high school graduates of the class of 1957. At ages 65 and 72, a random subset of participants completed six cognitive tests, including similarities, letter and category fluency, immediate and delayed word recall, and digit ordering. Nested regression models were used to examine the association between extent of VMS, assessed at age 54, and baseline cognition at 65, adjusting for early-life socioeconomic status, women's reproductive health variables, intelligence quotient, and midlife income. This series of models was also used to examine the association between VMS and change in cognition score from age 65 to 72. In sensitivity analyses, models were repeated in a sample using multiple imputation for missing covariates. RESULTS Of the 5,326 women enrolled, 874 had data onVMS, covariates, and all cognitive tests. In an unadjusted model, higher VMS were associated with a lower similarities score (b = -0.09 95% CI -0.16 to -0.02) at age 65 but no other cognitive tests. In adjusted models, VMS were not related to cognition at age 65 or change in cognition. Results remained similar with multiple imputation. CONCLUSIONS Our study does not support a relationship between self-reported VMS and cognition later in life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amalia Peterson
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Reena T. Gottesman
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eliza C. Miler
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah E. Tom
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhu C, Thomas N, Arunogiri S, Gurvich C. Systematic review and narrative synthesis of cognition in perimenopause: The role of risk factors and menopausal symptoms. Maturitas 2022; 164:76-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2022.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
12
|
Jett S, Malviya N, Schelbaum E, Jang G, Jahan E, Clancy K, Hristov H, Pahlajani S, Niotis K, Loeb-Zeitlin S, Havryliuk Y, Isaacson R, Brinton RD, Mosconi L. Endogenous and Exogenous Estrogen Exposures: How Women's Reproductive Health Can Drive Brain Aging and Inform Alzheimer's Prevention. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:831807. [PMID: 35356299 PMCID: PMC8959926 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.831807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
After advanced age, female sex is the major risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia affecting over 24 million people worldwide. The prevalence of AD is higher in women than in men, with postmenopausal women accounting for over 60% of all those affected. While most research has focused on gender-combined risk, emerging data indicate sex and gender differences in AD pathophysiology, onset, and progression, which may help account for the higher prevalence in women. Notably, AD-related brain changes develop during a 10-20 year prodromal phase originating in midlife, thus proximate with the hormonal transitions of endocrine aging characteristic of the menopause transition in women. Preclinical evidence for neuroprotective effects of gonadal sex steroid hormones, especially 17β-estradiol, strongly argue for associations between female fertility, reproductive history, and AD risk. The level of gonadal hormones to which the female brain is exposed changes considerably across the lifespan, with relevance to AD risk. However, the neurobiological consequences of hormonal fluctuations, as well as that of hormone therapies, are yet to be fully understood. Epidemiological studies have yielded contrasting results of protective, deleterious and null effects of estrogen exposure on dementia risk. In contrast, brain imaging studies provide encouraging evidence for positive associations between greater cumulative lifetime estrogen exposure and lower AD risk in women, whereas estrogen deprivation is associated with negative consequences on brain structure, function, and biochemistry. Herein, we review the existing literature and evaluate the strength of observed associations between female-specific reproductive health factors and AD risk in women, with a focus on the role of endogenous and exogenous estrogen exposures as a key underlying mechanism. Chief among these variables are reproductive lifespan, menopause status, type of menopause (spontaneous vs. induced), number of pregnancies, and exposure to hormonal therapy, including hormonal contraceptives, hormonal therapy for menopause, and anti-estrogen treatment. As aging is the greatest risk factor for AD followed by female sex, understanding sex-specific biological pathways through which reproductive history modulates brain aging is crucial to inform preventative and therapeutic strategies for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven Jett
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Niharika Malviya
- 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
| | - Eva Jahan
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Katherine Clancy
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hollie Hristov
- Department of Neurology, 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
| | - Kellyann Niotis
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Susan Loeb-Zeitlin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yelena Havryliuk
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Richard Isaacson
- Department of Neurology, 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
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Metcalf CA, Johnson RL, Novick AM, Freeman EW, Sammel MD, Anthony LG, Epperson CN. Adverse childhood experiences interact with inflammation and menopause transition stage to predict verbal memory in women. Brain Behav Immun Health 2022; 20:100411. [PMID: 35079709 PMCID: PMC8777090 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Women with more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may face a triple threat of risk factors for cognitive concerns during the menopause transition: reduced estradiol, increased inflammation, and early life stress sequelae. Our objective was to determine the extent to which ACEs and peripheral basal inflammatory markers associate with verbal memory across the menopause transition. METHODS Penn Ovarian Aging cohort participants (n = 167) were assessed for ACEs (low (0-1) or high (≥2)) and had remaining stored blood samples at study end assayed for interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1-beta (IL-1β), C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Annual assessment included a verbal memory test (the Buschke Selective Reminding Test) and menopause stage determination. To estimate the effects of menopause stage, ACEs, and cytokines on verbal memory, repeated cognitive outcome measures were modeled in generalized estimating equations. Covariates included body mass index, smoking, race, education, age at baseline, and baseline verbal memory performance. Cytokine levels were log-transformed. RESULTS Advancing menopause stage was associated with worse performance on immediate verbal recall and delayed verbal recall (ps < 0.001). During perimenopause, higher ACE exposure was associated with worse immediate verbal recall at higher levels of TNF-α (slope difference p = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS Inflammation may mechanistically link ACEs and verbal memory for high ACE women during perimenopause. Reducing inflammation for these individuals may have positive impact on verbal memory across the menopause transition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christina A. Metcalf
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Rachel L. Johnson
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Andrew M. Novick
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Ellen W. Freeman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Mary D. Sammel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Laura G. Anthony
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - C. Neill Epperson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Jaff NG, Crowther NJ. The Association of Reproductive Aging with Cognitive Function in Sub-Saharan African Women. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2343:71-91. [PMID: 34473316 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1558-4_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Life expectancy in sub-Saharan African women is increasing, and by the late 2020s an estimated 76% of postmenopausal women globally will be living in developing countries. Menopause transition has been associated with cognitive decline in a wide range of studies, but data on cognition and reproductive aging are lacking in sub-Saharan African women. Approximately 72 million people in the region are expected to suffer from dementias and neurocognitive decline by 2050. Studies show that compromised cognitive health in low-income countries has significant implications for adult quality of life and socioeconomic development. There is now an urgent need to further examine risk factors for cognitive decline in these aging women and to understand the ability of public health programs to diagnose and treat cognitive dysfunction. This review examines studies assessing cognition and aging in sub-Saharan African adults, while addressing the significant research gaps. It examines data on the association of the menopause transition with cognitive function and describes how validated tools should be available to assess both menopausal stage and symptoms. Culturally appropriate and validated neurocognitive measures are required to better understand the relationship of reproductive aging with cognition. Longitudinal population-based studies are needed to assess the effect of lifestyle interventions, such as diet and exercise, on cognitive health in sub-Saharan African populations, with an emphasis on women as they transition into menopause.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole G Jaff
- Department of Chemical Pathology, National Health Laboratory Service, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Nigel J Crowther
- Department of Chemical Pathology, National Health Laboratory Service, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Farzane A, Koushkie Jahromi M. The effect of pilates training on hormonal and psychophysical function in older women. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2022; 62:110-121. [PMID: 33555671 DOI: 10.23736/s0022-4707.21.12089-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND DHEA-S and cortisol and their ratio are important determinants of some physiological and psychological function during aging. The present study aimed to determine the effect of eight weeks of pilates training on diurnal salivary cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and cortisol to DHEA-S ratio, cardiorespiratory fitness (CF), and psychological function in older women. METHODS Twenty-seven healthy older women (aged 60-65 years) participated in the study voluntarily and were divided into two groups of pilates training (N.=15) and control (N.=12), randomly. Before and after the experiment, salivary samples (at wake up and 30-min postawakening, midday, 5 p.m., and 9 p.m.) were taken and the participants completed the questionnaires. Cognitive function was assessed by the MMSE questionnaire. Pilates training was performed three times weekly, in non-consecutive days. RESULTS Pilates training increased V̇O2<inf>max</inf> (48%, P<0.001) and cognitive function (73%, P<0.001) and decreased BMI (16%, P=0.042), anxiety (53%, P<0.001) and depression (67%, P<0.001) compared to the control group. Also, in pilates training group, mean cortisol (16%, P=0.039), CAR (24%, P=0.010), fall after peak of cortisol (15%, P=0.50), morning DHEA-S (43%, P<0.001) and mean DHEA-S (34%, P=0.002) increased compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that pilates training could improve mental and physical function which was accompanied by changes of diurnal cortisol and DHEA as one of the possible effective factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arezu Farzane
- School of Education and Psychology, Department of Sport Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Maryam Koushkie Jahromi
- School of Education and Psychology, Department of Sport Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran -
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Maki PM, Weber MT. A research primer for studies of cognitive changes across the menopause transition. Climacteric 2021; 24:382-388. [PMID: 34240671 DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2021.1905625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
There has been a proliferation of studies demonstrating important sex differences in cognitive aging and dementia, and with this an increased interest in the role of menopause and sex steroid hormones in women's brain health. Foundational longitudinal studies of cognitive changes from the premenopause to perimenopause stage have shown reliable declines in verbal memory, with variable findings in processing speed, attention/working memory and verbal fluency. Continued research is needed to advance understanding of the range of cognitive domains affected, the duration of cognitive changes, the generalizability of these changes across cultures, the factors that account for such changes and the factors that can improve cognition at this time. In this article, we briefly review and draw on findings from large longitudinal studies of cognitive changes across the menopause transition to inform the design of future studies on this topic. We focus on key issues such as objective versus subjective cognitive measures; cognitive domains and tests; staging menopause; study design; mediators of cognitive effects (including hormones and menopause symptoms); and consideration of key covariates. We suggest that a more uniform and evidence-based approach to the investigation of these issues can advance the quality of the science in menopause and cognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P M Maki
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychology and OB/GYN, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - M T Weber
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Reuben R, Karkaby L, McNamee C, Phillips NA, Einstein G. Menopause and cognitive complaints: are ovarian hormones linked with subjective cognitive decline? Climacteric 2021; 24:321-332. [PMID: 33719785 DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2021.1892627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and the loss of ovarian hormones after menopause have been independently linked to later-life Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objective of this review was to determine whether menopause and the loss of ovarian hormones contribute to cognitive complaints and SCD in women. This would suggest that SCD at the menopausal transition might be an important marker of eventual cognitive decline and AD. We conducted a literature search using PubMed, PsycINFO and Web of Science in July 2020. All English-language studies assessing SCD and cognitive complaints with respect to menopause and ovarian hormones were included. A total of 19 studies were included. Studies found that cognitive complaints increased across the menopause transition and were associated with reductions in attention, verbal and working memory, and medial temporal lobe volume. Women taking estrogen-decreasing treatments also had increased cognitive complaints and reduced working memory and executive function. The current literature provides impetus for further research on whether menopause and the loss of ovarian hormones are associated with cognitive complaints and SCD. Clinicians may take particular note of cognitive complaints after menopause or ovarian hormone loss, as they might presage future cognitive decline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Reuben
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - L Karkaby
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Tema Genus, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - C McNamee
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - N A Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - G Einstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Tema Genus, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Cortés YI, Marginean V, Berry D. Physiologic and psychosocial changes of the menopause transition in US Latinas: a narrative review. Climacteric 2020; 24:214-228. [PMID: 33174466 DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2020.1834529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Latinos comprise the fastest-growing minority group in the USA, with Hispanic women (Latinas) constituting 17% of women aged 45-54 years. The menopause transition (MT) is associated with many physiological, behavioral, and psychosocial changes that can affect disease risk in women. While several epidemiologic investigations have enhanced our understanding of the MT, to date, menopause research has mostly focused on non-Latina White women. As a consequence, there is a dearth of information on strategies for managing menopause-related issues in Latinas and important factors to consider to provide culturally appropriate care and promote lifestyles that may reduce adverse health outcomes. This narrative review summarizes existing evidence of the MT in Latinas, with a focus on hormonal alterations, menopausal symptoms, mental health, cognition, and cardiometabolic health. The clinical and research implications of the current literature will also be discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Y I Cortés
- School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - V Marginean
- School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - D Berry
- School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Willi J, Ehlert U. Symptoms assessed in studies on perimenopausal depression: A narrative review. SEXUAL & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE 2020; 26:100559. [PMID: 33010665 DOI: 10.1016/j.srhc.2020.100559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The menopausal transition constitutes a phase of major biopsychosocial changes associated with an elevated risk for the development of depression. Perimenopausal depression is highly prevalent and usually characterized by core symptoms of a major depressive disorder combined with menopausal complaints such as vasomotor symptoms or other physical complaints. However, a distinct definition of the condition is lacking. The aim of this review is to portray the symptoms assessed in studies on perimenopausal depression in order to provide relevant information on the current understanding of this condition. A literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO. A total of 37 studies were included. Various assessment tools have been used to measure symptoms related to perimenopausal depression. Fifteen symptoms were identified. Depressed mood was assessed across all studies. Low energy or sleep disturbances, as acknowledged symptoms of a major depressive disorder, were surveyed in most studies. However, the assessment of menopausal complaints was rather heterogeneous. While vasomotor symptoms were often measured, other menopausal symptoms such as mood swings or pain were investigated less frequently. Sexual problems were only rarely assessed. Studies on perimenopausal depression regularly include the assessment of core symptoms of a major depressive disorder, but the assessment of menopausal complaints is inconsistent. While certain symptoms are commonly measured, others are not assessed. Such inconsistencies underline an ambiguous understanding of perimenopausal depression, which in turn affects the evaluation and treatment of the condition. Thus, the use of the existing guidelines on perimenopausal depression is recommended.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Willi
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program Dynamics of Healthy Aging Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Ehlert
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program Dynamics of Healthy Aging Research Priority Program, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Maki PM, Thurston RC. Menopause and Brain Health: Hormonal Changes Are Only Part of the Story. Front Neurol 2020; 11:562275. [PMID: 33071945 PMCID: PMC7538803 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.562275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Most studies of menopause and brain aging have focused on the role of the sex steroid hormone, estradiol, as a key mechanisms contributing to cognitive and brain aging in women. An emerging literature demonstrates that beyond endogenous estradiol levels, menopausal symptoms, particularly vasomotor symptoms (VMS), are also key determinants of menopause-related changes in cognition and brain function. Critically, that literature shows the importance of using objective techniques to identify associations of VMS with memory performance, brain structure, and brain function. While self-report measures are important patient-centered outcomes in women's health research, objective measures of VMS typically relate more strongly to indices of cognitive and brain health. Currently, it is premature to make a causal claim about VMS and memory dysfunction, but initial findings raise the possibility that women with VMS might experience an improvement in cognition with VMS treatment. More generally, these findings underscore the utility of investigating female-specific risk factors for cognitive decline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pauline M Maki
- Women's Mental Health Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Psychology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Rebecca C Thurston
- Women's Biobehavioral Health Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Epidemiology, and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Slow electroencephalographic oscillations and behavioral measures as predictors of high executive processing in early postmenopausal females: A discriminant analysis approach. Brain Cogn 2020; 145:105613. [PMID: 32911233 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2020.105613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Decline in cognitive function is frequent in early postmenopause. There are postmenopausal females who show high performance while others display low performance in executive function, modulated by the prefrontal cortex. These differences have led to confusing and inconclusive results, which have not been explained entirely by the decline in estrogens, which affect the prefrontal cortex functions. An analysis of brain function and the application of a discriminant analysis can help to clarify the deficits in executive function shown by some postmenopausal females. The objective was to examine electroencephalographic recording during the performance of an executive function test in early postmenopausal females, ten with a high level of performance and ten with a low level of performance. Absolute power of delta, theta, alpha1, alpha2, beta1 and beta2 and the numbers of completed categories, trials, perseverative errors and overall errors were submitted to stepwise discriminant analysis to identify predictor variables. Four predictors emerged as significant of group membership based on cognitive performance, with the high-performance group characterized by more completed categories, more delta power, less theta power and more alpha1 power. These findings suggest that postmenopausal females classified in the high-performance group displayed appropriate temporary activation in slow oscillations during executive processing.
Collapse
|
22
|
The clinical significance of cognitive complaints early in the postmenopause. Menopause 2020; 27:1205-1206. [DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000001649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
23
|
Rajizadeh MA, Esmaeilpour K, Motamedy S, Mohtashami Borzadaranb F, Sheibani V. Cognitive Impairments of Sleep-Deprived Ovariectomized (OVX) Female Rats by Voluntary Exercise. Basic Clin Neurosci 2020; 11:573-586. [PMID: 33643551 PMCID: PMC7878057 DOI: 10.32598/bcn.9.10.505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Previous studies demonstrated that forced and voluntary exercise had ameliorative effects on behavioral tasks followed by Sleep Deprivation (SD) in intact female rats. The main goal of this research was evaluating the impact of voluntary exercise on cognitive functions while SD and ovariectomization is induced in female wistar rats. Methods: The rats were anesthesized combining dosage of ketamine and xylazine. Then, both ovaries were eliminated and 3 weeks after surgery the animals entered the study. The exercise protocol took 4 weeks of voluntary exercise in a wheel which was connected to home cage. For inducing a 72 hours deprivation the multiple platforms was applied. The cognitive functions were studied by exploiting the Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Novel object recognition tests. Anxiety was evaluated by open field test and corticostrone measurement was carried out by ELISA method. One-way and two-way ANOVA and repeated measures were utilized for data analysis and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: We observed significant spatial and recognition learning and memory impairments in OVX sleep-deprived rats compared to the control group and voluntary exercise alleviated the SD-induced learning and memory defects. Conclusion: We concluded that voluntary exercise can improve cognitive impairments followed by SD in OVX female rats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Amin Rajizadeh
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Khadijeh Esmaeilpour
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Sina Motamedy
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | | | - Vahid Sheibani
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Anderson DJ, Chung HF, Seib CA, Dobson AJ, Kuh D, Brunner EJ, Crawford SL, Avis NE, Gold EB, Greendale GA, Mitchell ES, Woods NF, Yoshizawa T, Mishra GD. Obesity, smoking, and risk of vasomotor menopausal symptoms: a pooled analysis of eight cohort studies. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2020; 222:478.e1-478.e17. [PMID: 31705884 PMCID: PMC7196035 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2019.10.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Frequent and severe vasomotor symptoms during menopause are linked with adverse health outcomes. Understanding modifiable lifestyle factors for the risk of vasomotor menopausal symptoms is important to guide preventive strategies. OBJECTIVE We investigated the associations between body mass index and smoking, their joint effects with the risk of vasomotor symptoms, and whether the associations differed by menopausal stage. STUDY DESIGN The International Collaboration for a Life Course Approach to Reproductive Health and Chronic Disease Events pooled data on 21,460 midlife women from 8 studies (median age, 50 years; interquartile range, 49-51 years) for the cross-sectional analysis. Four studies provided data for the prospective analysis (n=11,986). Multinomial logistic regression models with 4 categories of frequency/severity for the outcome of vasomotor symptoms were used to estimate relative risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals that were adjusted for within-study correlation and covariates. RESULTS At baseline, nearly 60% of the women experienced vasomotor symptoms. One-half of them were overweight (30%) or obese (21%), and 17% were current smokers. Cross-sectional analyses showed that a higher body mass index and smoking more cigarettes with longer duration and earlier initiation were all associated with more frequent or severe vasomotor symptoms. Never smokers who were obese had a 1.5-fold (relative risk ratio, 1.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.35-1.73) higher risk of often/severe vasomotor symptoms, compared with never smokers who were of normal-weight. Smoking strengthened the association because the risk of often/severe vasomotor symptoms was much greater among smokers who were obese (relative risk ratio, 3.02; 95% confidence interval, 2.41-3.78). However, smokers who quit at <40 years of age were at similar levels of risk as never smokers. Prospective analyses showed a similar pattern, but the association attenuated markedly after adjustment for baseline vasomotor symptoms. Furthermore, we found that the association between body mass index and vasomotor symptoms differed by menopausal status. Higher body mass index was associated with increased risk of vasomotor symptoms in pre- and perimenopause but with reduced risk in postmenopause. CONCLUSION High body mass index (≥25 kg/m2) and cigarette smoking substantially increased women's risk for experiencing frequent or severe vasomotor symptoms in a dose-response manner, and smoking intensified the effect of obesity. However, the effect of body mass index on the risk of vasomotor symptoms was opposite among postmenopausal women. Maintaining a normal weight before the menopausal transition and quitting smoking at <40 years of age may mitigate the excess risk of vasomotor symptoms in midlife.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Debra J Anderson
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Hsin-Fang Chung
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Charrlotte A Seib
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Annette J Dobson
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Diana Kuh
- Medical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, London, UK
| | - Eric J Brunner
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sybil L Crawford
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA
| | - Nancy E Avis
- Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Ellen B Gold
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA
| | - Gail A Greendale
- Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Ellen S Mitchell
- Family and Child Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Nancy F Woods
- Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Toyoko Yoshizawa
- Department of Women's Health Nursing & Midwifery, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Gita D Mishra
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Khadilkar SV, Patil VA. Sex Hormones and Cognition: Where Do We Stand? J Obstet Gynaecol India 2019; 69:303-312. [PMID: 31391735 DOI: 10.1007/s13224-019-01223-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis regulates the reproductive system. The overall health and wellbeing of a woman is subject to fluctuations in the sex hormones throughout her lifespan. Menopause, either natural or surgically induced, is often associated with cognitive complaints, especially memory disturbances. Sex hormones, besides affecting the reproductive function, affect the central nervous system in many ways. Here, we aim to review the role of sex hormones in cognition and the current evidence on use of or against menopausal hormonal therapy as a cognition enhancer in women with cognitive disturbances, including those with Alzheimer's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Satish V Khadilkar
- Department of Neurology, Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences, New Marine Lines, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400020 India
| | - Varsha A Patil
- Department of Neurology, Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences, New Marine Lines, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400020 India
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the regulatory dynamics between stress and fatigue experienced by women during the menopausal transition (MT) and early postmenopause (EPM). Fatigue and perceived stress are commonly experienced by women during the MT and EPM. We sought to discover relationships between these symptoms and to employ these symptoms as possible markers for resilience. METHODS Participants were drawn from the longitudinal Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study. Eligible women completed questionnaires on 60+ occasions (annual health reports and monthly health diaries) (n = 56 women). The total number of observations across the sample was 4,224. STRAW+10 criteria were used to stage women in either in late reproductive, early or late transition, or EPM stage. Change values were generated for fatigue and stress and analyzed with a multilevel structural equation model; slopes indicate how quickly a person returns to homeostasis after a perturbation. Coupling of stress and fatigue was modeled to evaluate resilience, the notion of maintaining stability during change. RESULTS Eligible women were on average 35 years old (SD = 4.71), well educated, employed, married or partnered, and white. Fit indices suggested the model depicts the relationships of stress and fatigue (χ(9 df) = 7.638, P = 0.57, correction factor = 4.9244; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) 90% CI = 0.000 ≤ 0.000 ≤ 0.032; comparative fit index (CFI) = 1.00). A loss in model fit across stages suggests that the four stages differed in their dynamics (χΔ(12 df) = 21.181, P = .048). All stages showed fixed-point attractor dynamics: fatigue became less stable over time; stress generally became more stable over time. Coupling relationships of stress on fatigue show evidence for shifts in regulatory relationships with one another across the MT. CONCLUSIONS Results are suggestive of general dysregulation via disruptions to coupling relationships of stress and fatigue across the MT. Findings support a holistic approach to understanding symptoms and supporting women during the MT.
Collapse
|
27
|
Soy intake and vasomotor menopausal symptoms among midlife women: a pooled analysis of five studies from the InterLACE consortium. Eur J Clin Nutr 2019; 73:1501-1511. [DOI: 10.1038/s41430-019-0398-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
|
28
|
Moradi F, Jahanian Sadatmahalleh S, Ziaei S. The effect of hormone replacement therapy on cognitive function in postmenopausal women: An RCT. Int J Reprod Biomed 2019; 16. [PMID: 31417982 PMCID: PMC6600282 DOI: 10.18502/ijrm.v16i12.3682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background During the reproductive age, the human brain becomes a target for gonadal steroid hormones. Estrogens influence neural function through effects on neurons and affects indirectly the oxidative stress, inflammation, the cerebral vascular and the immune system. Objective To evaluate the effect of the traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on the cognitive function in postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods In this randomized clinical trial, 140 postmenopausal women, from November 2014 to February 2015, were included. Women were randomly divided into two groups. Each woman in the case group took traditional HRT (0.625mg conjugated equine estrogens+2.5mg medroxyprogesterone acetate daily) plus one Cal+D tablet (500 mg calcium+200 IU vitamin D) daily for four months. Women in the control group received only one Cal+D tablet (500 mg calcium+200 IU vitamin D) daily for four months period. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Green Climacteric Scale (GCS) questionnaires filled out after the intervention and compared between the two groups. Results The mean points of the MoCA after the intervention indicate that all MoCA domains except for the orientation improved in the case group. There was a significant difference in the memory domain after the treatment between the two groups. MoCA domains and GCS were negatively correlated after the intervention (r=-0.235,p=0.006). Conclusion The HRT has affected some of the MoCA factors. The effects of HRT on cognitive function should be studied in a large prospective study in a group of women in their early and late menopausal ages with periodic assessment of their cognitive function during these follow-up years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fereshteh Moradi
- Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Saeideh Ziaei
- Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Nguyen HB, Loughead J, Lipner E, Hantsoo L, Kornfield SL, Epperson CN. What has sex got to do with it? The role of hormones in the transgender brain. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:22-37. [PMID: 30082887 PMCID: PMC6235900 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0140-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences and hormonal effects in presumed cisgender individuals have been well-studied and support the concept of a mosaic of both male and female "characteristics" in any given brain. Gonadal steroid increases and fluctuations during peri-puberty and across the reproductive lifespan influence the brain structure and function programmed by testosterone and estradiol exposures in utero. While it is becoming increasingly common for transgender and gender non-binary individuals to block their transition to puberty and/or use gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) to obtain their desired gender phenotype, little is known about the impact of these manipulations on brain structure and function. Using sex differences and the effects of reproductive hormones in cisgender individuals as the backdrop, we summarize here the existing nascent neuroimaging and behavioral literature focusing on potential brain and cognitive differences in transgender individuals at baseline and after GAHT. Research in this area has the potential to inform our understanding of the developmental origins of gender identity and sex difference in response to gonadal steroid manipulations, but care is needed in our research questions and methods to not further stigmatize sex and gender minorities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hillary B Nguyen
- School of Arts and Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Emily Lipner
- School of Arts and Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | | | - C Neill Epperson
- School of Arts and Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Self-awareness and the evaluation of hot flash severity: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study. Menopause 2018; 26:476-484. [PMID: 30531442 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000001272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to test the association of two dimensions of self-awareness with hot flash (HF) severity. METHODS A subset of women from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study (N = 232) provided data for these analyses. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate two dimensions of self-awareness (Internal States Awareness [ISA] and Self-Reflectiveness [SR]), and secondary factors of perceived stress, anxiety, and attitudes toward menopause as continuous with earlier life, health perceptions, and menopausal stage with respect to HF severity. The measurement and structural models were tested with a maximum likelihood missing values estimator and displayed good model fit. RESULTS Women with greater ISA reported greater HF severity (β = 0.17, P < 0.05). In addition, women in later menopausal transition stages reported greater HF severity and those with attitudes of continuity toward menopause reported less severe HFs (β = 0.20, P < 0.01, β = -0.30, P < 0.001, respectively). SR was not related to HF severity. Women with higher levels of SR reported greater perceived stress levels (β = .51, P < 0.001), and those with greater perceived stress reported greater anxiety levels (β = 0.63, P < 0.001) and attitudes of continuity toward menopause as less continuous with earlier life (β = -0.30, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS ISA (balanced self-awareness) was associated with greater HF severity, suggesting that enhanced balanced self-awareness may promote women's ability to evaluate their symptom experience. A multidimensional construct of self-awareness, perceived stress, anxiety, and attitude toward menopause are all plausible targets for future intervention studies of symptom management.
Collapse
|
31
|
Chung HF, Pandeya N, Dobson AJ, Kuh D, Brunner EJ, Crawford SL, Avis NE, Gold EB, Mitchell ES, Woods NF, Bromberger JT, Thurston RC, Joffe H, Yoshizawa T, Anderson D, Mishra GD. The role of sleep difficulties in the vasomotor menopausal symptoms and depressed mood relationships: an international pooled analysis of eight studies in the InterLACE consortium. Psychol Med 2018; 48:2550-2561. [PMID: 29429422 PMCID: PMC6087679 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291718000168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [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 Many women experience both vasomotor menopausal symptoms (VMS) and depressed mood at midlife, but little is known regarding the prospective bi-directional relationships between VMS and depressed mood and the role of sleep difficulties in both directions. METHODS A pooled analysis was conducted using data from 21 312 women (median: 50 years, interquartile range 49-51) in eight studies from the InterLACE consortium. The degree of VMS, sleep difficulties, and depressed mood was self-reported and categorised as never, rarely, sometimes, and often (if reporting frequency) or never, mild, moderate, and severe (if reporting severity). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the bi-directional associations adjusted for within-study correlation. RESULTS At baseline, the prevalence of VMS (40%, range 13-62%) and depressed mood (26%, 8-41%) varied substantially across studies, and a strong dose-dependent association between VMS and likelihood of depressed mood was found. Over 3 years of follow-up, women with often/severe VMS at baseline were more likely to have subsequent depressed mood compared with those without VMS (odds ratios (OR) 1.56, 1.27-1.92). Women with often/severe depressed mood at baseline were also more likely to have subsequent VMS than those without depressed mood (OR 1.89, 1.47-2.44). With further adjustment for the degree of sleep difficulties at baseline, the OR of having a subsequent depressed mood associated with often/severe VMS was attenuated and no longer significant (OR 1.13, 0.90-1.40). Conversely, often/severe depressed mood remained significantly associated with subsequent VMS (OR 1.80, 1.38-2.34). CONCLUSIONS Difficulty in sleeping largely explained the relationship between VMS and subsequent depressed mood, but it had little impact on the relationship between depressed mood and subsequent VMS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Fang Chung
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nirmala Pandeya
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Annette J. Dobson
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Diana Kuh
- Medical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at University College London, London, UK
| | - Eric J. Brunner
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sybil L. Crawford
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Nancy E. Avis
- Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Ellen B. Gold
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Ellen S. Mitchell
- Family and Child Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nancy F. Woods
- Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joyce T. Bromberger
- Departments of Epidemiology and Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca C. Thurston
- Departments of Epidemiology and Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hadine Joffe
- Connors Center for Women’s Health and Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute/ Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Toyoko Yoshizawa
- Department of Women’s Health Nursing, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Debra Anderson
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gita D. Mishra
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Katainen R, Kalleinen N, Teperi S, Vahlberg T, Turpeinen U, Hämäläinen E, Nelimarkka L, Polo-Kantola P. The relationship between diurnal cortisol secretion and climacteric-related symptoms. Maturitas 2018; 115:37-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
33
|
Dopaminergic contributions to working memory-related brain activation in postmenopausal women. Menopause 2018; 24:163-170. [PMID: 27676634 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000000738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The current study examined the effects of pharmacologic dopaminergic manipulations on working memory-related brain activation in postmenopausal women to further understand the neurochemistry underlying cognition after menopause. METHODS Eighteen healthy postmenopausal women, mean age 55.21 years, completed three study days with dopaminergic drug challenges during which they performed a functional magnetic resonance imaging visual verbal N-back test of working memory. Acute stimulation with 1.25 mg oral D2 agonist bromocriptine, acute blockade with 1.5 mg oral haloperidol, and matching placebo were administered randomly and blindly on three study days. RESULTS We found that dopaminergic stimulation increased activation primarily in the posterior regions of the working memory network compared with dopaminergic blockade using a whole brain cluster-level corrected analysis. The dopaminergic medications did not affect working memory performance. CONCLUSIONS Patterns of increased blood-oxygen-level dependent signal activation after dopaminergic stimulation were found in this study in posterior brain regions with no effect on working memory performance. Further studies should examine specific dopaminergic contributions to brain functioning in healthy postmenopausal women to determine the effects of the increased brain activation on cognition and behavior.
Collapse
|
34
|
Understanding women's experience of memory over the menopausal transition: subjective and objective memory in pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women. Menopause 2018; 23:1319-1329. [PMID: 27483039 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000000705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Many women complain of forgetfulness during the menopausal transition. This study aimed to examine women's subjective perception of memory and their objective memory performance across the menopausal transition. METHODS One hundred thirty women, aged 40 to 60 years were recruited from outpatient Menopause and Gynaecological clinics at the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne. Women were divided into menopausal stage groups according to the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop criteria based on menstrual patterns. All women completed self-report measures of depressive, anxiety, vasomotor, and sleep symptoms; attitude to menopause; and various aspects of memory, including memory contentment, frequency of forgetting, sense of control over memory, and use of memory strategies. Women also completed a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation assessing memory and executive function. RESULTS Comprehensive neuropsychological assessment showed no difference between premenopausal (n = 36), perimenopausal (n = 54), and postmenopausal (n = 40) groups in performance on memory and executive tasks. Perimenopausal women, however, reported significantly more frequent forgetting (η = 0.09, P < 0.01) and less contentment with their memory (η = 0.08, P < 0.01) than pre- and postmenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS Although no impairment was observed in neuropsychological performance, when compared with pre- and postmenopausal women, perimenopausal women were more likely to be dissatisfied with their memory. During the menopausal transition women with a more negative attitude to menopause and more intense depressive, anxiety, vasomotor, and sleep symptoms are more vulnerable to feeling less content with their memory.
Collapse
|
35
|
Dumas JA. Strategies for Preventing Cognitive Decline in Healthy Older Adults. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE 2017; 62:754-760. [PMID: 28703016 PMCID: PMC5697626 DOI: 10.1177/0706743717720691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Many advances have been made in the understanding of age-related changes in cognition. As research details the cognitive and neurobiological changes that occur in aging, there is increased interest in developing and understanding methods to prevent, slow, or reverse the cognitive decline that may occur in normal healthy older adults. The Institute of Medicine has recently recognized cognitive aging as having important financial and public health implications for society with the increasing older adult population worldwide. Cognitive aging is not dementia and does not result in the loss of neurons but rather changes in neurotransmission that affect brain functioning. The fact that neurons are structurally intact but may be functionally affected by increased age implies that there is potential for remediation. METHOD AND RESULTS This review article presents recent work using medication-based strategies for slowing cognitive changes in aging. The primary method presented is a hormonal approach for affecting cognition in older women. In addition, a summary of the work examining modifiable lifestyle factors that have shown promise in benefiting cognition in both older men and women is described. CONCLUSIONS Much work remains to be done so that evidence-based recommendations can be made for slowing cognitive decline in healthy older adults. The success of some of these methods thus far indicates that the brains of healthy older adults are plastic enough to be able to respond to these cognitive decline prevention strategies, and further work is needed to define the most beneficial methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julie A Dumas
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Xu X, Wang B, Ren C, Hu J, Greenberg DA, Chen T, Xie L, Jin K. Recent Progress in Vascular Aging: Mechanisms and Its Role in Age-related Diseases. Aging Dis 2017; 8:486-505. [PMID: 28840062 PMCID: PMC5524810 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2017.0507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
As with many age-related diseases including vascular dysfunction, age is considered an independent and crucial risk factor. Complicated alterations of structure and function in the vasculature are linked with aging hence, understanding the underlying mechanisms of age-induced vascular pathophysiological changes holds possibilities for developing clinical diagnostic methods and new therapeutic strategies. Here, we discuss the underlying molecular mediators that could be involved in vascular aging, e.g., the renin-angiotensin system and pro-inflammatory factors, metalloproteinases, calpain-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and TGFβ-1 as well as the potential roles of testosterone and estrogen. We then relate all of these to clinical manifestations such as vascular dementia and stroke in addition to reviewing the existing clinical measurements and potential interventions for age-related vascular dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xianglai Xu
- 1Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,2Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Brian Wang
- 2Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Changhong Ren
- 2Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA.,4Institute of Hypoxia Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University. Beijing, China
| | - Jiangnan Hu
- 2Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | | | - Tianxiang Chen
- 6Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liping Xie
- 3Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Kunlin Jin
- 2Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Woods NF, Mitchell ES. The Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study: a longitudinal prospective study of women during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause. Womens Midlife Health 2016; 2:6. [PMID: 30766702 PMCID: PMC6299967 DOI: 10.1186/s40695-016-0019-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The need for longitudinal, population-based studies to illuminate women’s experiences of symptoms during the menopausal transition motivated the development of the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Methods Longitudinal, population-based study of symptoms women experienced between the Late Reproductive stage of reproductive aging and the early postmenopause. Data collection began in 1990 with 508 women ages 35–55 and continued to 2013. Entry criteria included age, at least one period in past 12 months, uterus intact and at least 1 ovary. Women were studied up to 5 years postmenopause. Data collection included yearly health questionnaires, health diaries, urinary hormonal assays, menstrual calendars and buccal cell smears. Results Contributions of the study included development of a method for staging the menopausal transition; development of bleeding criteria to differentiate bleeding episodes from intermenstrual bleeding from menstrual calendars; identification of hormonal changes associated with menopausal transition stages; assessment of the effects of menopausal transition factors, aging, stress-related factors, health factors, social factors on symptoms, particularly hot flashes, depressed mood, pain, cognitive, sexual desire, and sleep disruption symptoms, and urinary incontinence symptoms; identification of naturally occurring clusters of symptoms women experienced during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause; and assessment of gene polymorphisms associated with events such as onset of the early and late menopausal transition stages and symptoms. Conclusions Over the course of the longitudinal Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study, investigators contributed to understanding of symptoms women experience during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause as well as methods of staging reproductive aging. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40695-016-0019-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Fugate Woods
- 1Department of Biobehavioral Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Mishra GD, Chung HF, Pandeya N, Dobson AJ, Jones L, Avis NE, Crawford SL, Gold EB, Brown D, Sievert LL, Brunner E, Cade JE, Burley VJ, Greenwood DC, Giles GG, Bruinsma F, Goodman A, Hayashi K, Lee JS, Mizunuma H, Kuh D, Cooper R, Hardy R, Obermeyer CM, Lee KA, Simonsen MK, Yoshizawa T, Woods NF, Mitchell ES, Hamer M, Demakakos P, Sandin S, Adami HO, Weiderpass E, Anderson D. The InterLACE study: Design, data harmonization and characteristics across 20 studies on women's health. Maturitas 2016; 92:176-185. [PMID: 27621257 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The International Collaboration for a Life Course Approach to Reproductive Health and Chronic Disease Events (InterLACE) project is a global research collaboration that aims to advance understanding of women's reproductive health in relation to chronic disease risk by pooling individual participant data from several cohort and cross-sectional studies. The aim of this paper is to describe the characteristics of contributing studies and to present the distribution of demographic and reproductive factors and chronic disease outcomes in InterLACE. STUDY DESIGN InterLACE is an individual-level pooled study of 20 observational studies (12 of which are longitudinal) from ten countries. Variables were harmonized across studies to create a new and systematic synthesis of life-course data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Harmonized data were derived in three domains: 1) socio-demographic and lifestyle factors, 2) female reproductive characteristics, and 3) chronic disease outcomes (cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes). RESULTS InterLACE pooled data from 229,054 mid-aged women. Overall, 76% of the women were Caucasian and 22% Japanese; other ethnicities (of 300 or more participants) included Hispanic/Latin American (0.2%), Chinese (0.2%), Middle Eastern (0.3%), African/black (0.5%), and Other (1.0%). The median age at baseline was 47 years (Inter-quartile range (IQR): 41-53), and that at the last follow-up was 56 years (IQR: 48-64). Regarding reproductive characteristics, half of the women (49.8%) had their first menstruation (menarche) at 12-13 years of age. The distribution of menopausal status and the prevalence of chronic disease varied considerably among studies. At baseline, most women (57%) were pre- or peri-menopausal, 20% reported a natural menopause (range 0.8-55.6%) and the remainder had surgery or were taking hormones. By the end of follow-up, the prevalence rates of CVD and diabetes were 7.2% (range 0.9-24.6%) and 5.1% (range 1.3-13.2%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The scale and heterogeneity of InterLACE data provide an opportunity to strengthen evidence concerning the relationships between reproductive health through life and subsequent risks of chronic disease, including cross-cultural comparisons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gita D Mishra
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Hsin-Fang Chung
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nirmala Pandeya
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Annette J Dobson
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lee Jones
- School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nancy E Avis
- Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Sybil L Crawford
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ellen B Gold
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Brown
- Department of Anthropology, University of Hawaii, Hilo, HI, USA
| | | | - Eric Brunner
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Janet E Cade
- Nutritional Epidemiology Group, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Victoria J Burley
- Nutritional Epidemiology Group, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Darren C Greenwood
- Nutritional Epidemiology Group, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Graham G Giles
- Cancer Epidemiology Center, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Fiona Bruinsma
- Cancer Epidemiology Center, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alissa Goodman
- Institute of Education, Center for Longitudinal Studies, University of London, London, UK
| | - Kunihiko Hayashi
- School of Health Sciences, Gunma University, Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan
| | - Jung Su Lee
- Department of Health Promotion Science, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideki Mizunuma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Diana Kuh
- Medical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, London, UK
| | - Rachel Cooper
- Medical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Hardy
- Medical Research Council Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing at UCL, London, UK
| | - Carla Makhlouf Obermeyer
- Center for Research on Population and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Kathryn A Lee
- School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Toyoko Yoshizawa
- Department of Women's Health Nursing Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai Japan
| | - Nancy F Woods
- Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ellen S Mitchell
- Family and Child Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mark Hamer
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Panayotes Demakakos
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sven Sandin
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hans-Olov Adami
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elisabete Weiderpass
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Samfundet Folkhälsan, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway; Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
| | - Debra Anderson
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Triantafyllou N, Armeni E, Christidi F, Rizos D, Kaparos G, Palaiologou A, Augoulea A, Alexandrou A, Zalonis I, Tzivgoulis G, Lambrinoudaki I. The intensity of menopausal symptoms is associated with episodic memory in postmenopausal women. Climacteric 2016; 19:393-9. [DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2016.1193137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- N. Triantafyllou
- 1st Department of Neurology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aiginiteio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - E. Armeni
- 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - F. Christidi
- 1st Department of Neurology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aiginiteio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - D. Rizos
- Hormonal and Biochemical Laboratory, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - G. Kaparos
- Hormonal and Biochemical Laboratory, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - A. Palaiologou
- 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - A. Augoulea
- 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - A. Alexandrou
- 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - I. Zalonis
- 1st Department of Neurology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aiginiteio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - G. Tzivgoulis
- 2nd Department of Neurology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attiko Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - I. Lambrinoudaki
- 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Menopause in the workplace: What employers should be doing. Maturitas 2015; 85:88-95. [PMID: 26857886 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2015.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Large numbers of women transition through menopause whilst in paid employment. Symptoms associated with menopause may cause difficulties for working women, especially if untreated, yet employers are practically silent on this potentially costly issue. This review summarises existing research on the underexplored topic of menopause in the workplace, and synthesises recommendations for employers. Longstanding scholarly interest in the relationship between employment status and symptom reporting typically (but not consistently) shows that women in paid employment (and in specific occupations) report fewer and less severe symptoms than those who are unemployed. Recent studies more systematically focused on the effects of menopausal symptoms on work are typically cross-sectional self-report surveys, with a small number of qualitative studies. Though several papers established that vasomotor (and associated) symptoms have a negative impact on women's productivity, capacity to work and work experience, this is not a uniform finding. Psychological and other somatic symptoms associated with menopause can have a relatively greater negative influence. Physical (e.g., workplace temperature and design) and psychosocial (e.g., work stress, perceptions of control/autonomy) workplace factors have been found to influence the relationship between symptoms and work. Principal recommendations for employers to best support menopausal women as part of a holistic approach to employee health and well-being include risk assessments to make suitable adjustments to the physical and psychosocial work environment, provision of information and support, and training for line managers. Limitations of prior studies, and directions for future research are presented.
Collapse
|
41
|
A neuroprogenitor cell-based mechanism for exercise-enhanced cognition after reproductive senescence? Menopause 2015; 23:5-6. [PMID: 26671192 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000000577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
42
|
Carpenter JS, Woods NF, Otte JL, Guthrie KA, Hohensee C, Newton KM, Joffe H, Cohen L, Sternfeld B, Lau RJ, Reed SD, LaCroix AZ. MsFLASH participants' priorities for alleviating menopausal symptoms. Climacteric 2015; 18:859-66. [PMID: 26517583 DOI: 10.3109/13697137.2015.1083003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe self-reported menopausal symptom priorities and their association with demographics and other symptoms among participants in an intervention trial for vasomotor symptoms (VMS). METHODS Cross-sectional study embedded in the MsFLASH 02 trial, a three-by-two factorial design of yoga vs. exercise vs. usual activity and omega-3-fatty acid vs. placebo. At baseline, women (n = 354) completed hot flush diaries, a card sort task to prioritize symptoms they would most like to alleviate, and standardized questionnaires. RESULTS The most common symptom priorities were: VMS (n = 322), sleep (n = 191), concentration (n = 140), and fatigue (n = 116). In multivariate models, women who chose VMS as their top priority symptom (n = 210) reported significantly greater VMS severity (p = 0.004) and never smoking (p = 0.012), and women who chose sleep as their top priority symptom (n = 100) were more educated (p ≤ 0.001) and had worse sleep quality (p < 0.001). ROC curves identified sleep scale scores that were highly predictive of ranking sleep as a top priority symptom. CONCLUSIONS Among women entering an intervention trial for VMS and with relatively low prevalence of depression and anxiety, VMS was the priority symptom for treatment. A card sort may be a valid tool for quickly assessing symptom priorities in clinical practice and research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J S Carpenter
- a Science of Nursing Care, School of Nursing, Indiana University , Indianapolis , IN
| | - N F Woods
- b Biobehavioral Nursing, University of Washington , Seattle , WA
| | - J L Otte
- a Science of Nursing Care, School of Nursing, Indiana University , Indianapolis , IN
| | - K A Guthrie
- c Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center , Seattle , WA
| | - C Hohensee
- c Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center , Seattle , WA
| | - K M Newton
- d Group Health Research Institute , Seattle , WA
| | - H Joffe
- e Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry , Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute , Boston , MA
| | - L Cohen
- f Center for Women's Mental Health; Perinatal and Reproductive Psychiatry Clinical Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital , Boston , MA
| | - B Sternfeld
- g Division of Research , Kaiser Permanent Medical Program of Northern California , Oakland , CA
| | - R J Lau
- h Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , School of Medicine, Indiana University , Indianapolis , IN
| | - S D Reed
- i Departments of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Epidemiology , University of Washington School of Medicine , Seattle , WA
| | - A Z LaCroix
- j Department of Preventive Medicine , University of California San Diego , San Diego , CA , USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
McCarrey AC, Resnick SM. Postmenopausal hormone therapy and cognition. Horm Behav 2015; 74:167-72. [PMID: 25935728 PMCID: PMC4573348 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2015] [Revised: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and cognition". Prior to the publication of findings from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) in 2002, estrogen-containing hormone therapy (HT) was used to prevent age-related disease, especially cardiovascular disease, and to treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and sleep disruptions. Some observational studies of HT in midlife and aging women suggested that HT might also benefit cognitive function, but randomized clinical trials have produced mixed findings in terms of health and cognitive outcomes. This review focuses on hormone effects on cognition and risk for dementia in naturally menopausal women as well as surgically induced menopause, and highlights findings from the large-scale WHI Memory Study (WHIMS) which, contrary to expectation, showed increased dementia risk and poorer cognitive outcomes in older postmenopausal women randomized to HT versus placebo. We consider the 'critical window hypothesis', which suggests that a window of opportunity may exist shortly after menopause during which estrogen treatments are most effective. In addition, we highlight emerging evidence that potential adverse effects of HT on cognition are most pronounced in women who have other health risks, such as lower global cognition or diabetes. Lastly, we point towards implications for future research and clinical treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna C McCarrey
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
| | - Susan M Resnick
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Hajali V, Sheibani V, Mahani SE, Hajializadeh Z, Shabani M, Aliabadi HP, Saadati H, Esmaeilpour K. Ovariectomy does not exacerbate the negative effects of sleep deprivation on synaptic plasticity in rats. Physiol Behav 2015; 144:73-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2014] [Revised: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
|
45
|
Mitchell ES, Woods NF. Hot flush severity during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause: beyond hormones. Climacteric 2015; 18:536-44. [PMID: 25748168 DOI: 10.3109/13697137.2015.1009436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding factors promoting symptom severity is essential to developing innovative symptom management models. AIM To investigate hot flush severity during the menopausal transition (MT) and early postmenopause and effects of age, MT stages, age of onset of late stage and final menstrual period (FMP), estrogen, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), cortisol, anxiety, perceived stress, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use and exercise. METHODS A subset of participants in the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study (n = 291 with up to 6973 observations) provided data during the late reproductive, early and late MT stages and early postmenopause, including menstrual calendars, annual health questionnaires, and symptom diaries and urine specimens assayed for hormones several times per year. Multilevel modeling with an R program was used to test models accounting for hot flush severity. RESULTS Hot flush severity persisted through the MT stages and peaked during the late MT stage, diminishing after the second year postmenopause. In individual analyses, hot flush severity was associated with being older, being in the late MT stage or early postmenopause, beginning the late MT stage at a younger age and reporting greater anxiety. In a model including only endocrine factors, hot flush severity was significantly associated with higher FSH and lower estrone levels. An integrated model revealed dominant effects of late MT stage and early postmenopause, with anxiety contributing to hot flush severity. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Hot flush severity was affected largely by reproductive aging and anxiety, suggesting symptom management models that modulate anxiety and enhance women's experience of the menopausal transition and early postmenopause.
Collapse
|
46
|
Increased coupling of caveolin-1 and estrogen receptor α contributes to the fragile X syndrome. Ann Neurol 2015; 77:618-36. [DOI: 10.1002/ana.24358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Revised: 01/04/2015] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
47
|
Health-related quality of life in women with or without hot flashes: a randomized placebo-controlled trial with hormone therapy. Menopause 2015; 21:732-9. [PMID: 24219882 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000000120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We assessed the impact of hot flashes and various forms of hormone therapy on health-related quality of life and sexual well-being in recently postmenopausal women. METHODS We prospectively interviewed 150 healthy women about hot flashes and health-related quality of life (using the Women's Health Questionnaire and the McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire), menopause-related symptoms, and general health. The women were classified into those with (n = 72) and without (n = 78) hot flashes and treated for 6 months with transdermal estradiol (1 mg/d), oral estradiol (2 mg/d) with or without medroxyprogesterone acetate (5 mg/d), or placebo. RESULTS At baseline, hot flashes contributed most strongly to poor sleep (correlation coefficient r = -0.525, P < 0.0001), somatic symptoms such as muscle pains (r = -0.348, P < 0.0001), menstrual cycle-resembling complaints (r = -0.304, P < 0.0001), anxiety and fears (r = -0.283, P < 0.0001), decreased memory and concentration (r = -0.279, P = 0.001), and sexual behavior (r = -0.174, P = 0.035). The different hormone therapy regimens alleviated hot flashes equally effectively and were therefore combined into a single group for further analysis. In women with baseline flashes, hormone therapy use significantly improved the scores for sleep (0.787 [0.243] vs 0.557 [0.249], hormone therapy vs placebo, P = 0.001, at 6 mo), memory and concentration capacity (0.849 [0.228] vs 0.454 [0.301], P < 0.0001, at 6 mo), and anxiety and fears (0.942 [0.133] vs 0.826 [0.193], P = 0.005, at 6 mo). Hormone therapy use showed no significant impact on these variables in women without baseline flashes. CONCLUSIONS Hot flashes contribute differently to various variables affecting health-related quality of life shortly after menopause. Estradiol or an estradiol-medroxyprogesterone acetate combination similarly alleviates hot flashes and improves health-related quality of life in relation to elimination of hot flashes. Hormone therapy use does not confer any detectable quality-of-life benefit over placebo in women without disturbing baseline flashes.
Collapse
|
48
|
Abstract
The slow, progressive accumulation of pathology characteristic of Alzheimer's disease is the principal determinant of cognitive decline leading to dementia. Risk-reduction strategies during midlife focus on raising the clinical threshold for the appearance of cognitive symptoms and on reducing the extent of Alzheimer pathology. Best available evidence suggests an approach based on three, conceptually distinct strategies. (1) Raise the threshold for cognitive symptoms by improving brain health. To achieve this goal, the tactic is to reduce cerebrovascular risks mediated by hypertension, diabetes, cigarette smoking, and hyperlipidemia. (2) Raise the threshold for cognitive symptoms by enhancing cognitive reserve. Here, tactics focus on mental stimulation associated with occupation, leisure activities and social engagement. (3) Reduce the burden of Alzheimer pathology. The most promising tactic toward this end is regular aerobic exercise. Tactics in support of strategies to reduce cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer pathology are not yet substantiated by robust, consistent clinical trial evidence. There is pressing need for well-designed pragmatic trials to provide stronger evidence on preventive strategies for late-life cognitive decline and dementia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- V W Henderson
- Departments of Health Research and Policy (Epidemiology) and of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University , Stanford, California , USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Rohr UD, Volko CD, Schindler AE. Comparison of steady state development and reduction of menopausal symptoms after oral or transdermal delivery of 17-β-estradiol in young healthy symptomatic menopausal women. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig 2014; 18:123-36. [PMID: 25390008 DOI: 10.1515/hmbci-2013-0047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2013] [Accepted: 12/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is a renewed interest in the delivery of estradiol (E2) for the reduction of menopausal symptoms in young symptomatic menopausal women. This paper compares experimentally and theoretically obtained E2 plasma values by oral and transdermal delivery and compares them with relevant menopausal symptoms. STUDY DESIGN Two independent previously published studies were compared, which each contained 42 young symptomatic menopausal women. Experimentally obtained plasma values at days 1, 7 and 21 were compared with a theoretical model, taken from the literature, for describing plasma values for an oral immediate release formulation, consecutively for 21 days. Menopausal symptoms were determined in the steady state for oral and transdermal delivery with the Kuppermann index, previously not reported. In the case of oral delivery, estradiol was compared with estradiol valerate. RESULTS Previously published results for transdermal delivery of E2 showed that the matrix system establishes a steady state condition with the application of the first patch. Excellent agreement between theoretically predicted and experimentally obtained E2 plasma values for oral delivery in menopausal women was obtained. Circadian E2 plasma levels were observed continuously for transdermal delivery, were seen in oral delivery during first application and disappeared when steady state was achieved. Application of the prodrug E2-valerate delayed the maximum plasma peak from 1 pm to 4 pm, similar to the transdermal matrix patch. Investigating menopausal symptoms determined with the Kuppermann index did not reveal differences between oral or transdermal "E2 kinetic (hot flushes) relationship". This relationship was similar to symptomatic women suffering from hot flushes in untreated menopausal women or premenopausal women. Different menopausal symptoms required different E2 plasma levels: the average E2 levels higher than 23 pg/mL in plasma did abolish insomnia in 50% of postmenopausal women, with 28 pg/mL is needed to suppress 50% of dysthymia; however, rather high levels of 41 pg/mL are needed to suppress 50% of hot flushes, suggesting a rather complex mechanism beyond an E2 receptor mediated process. CONCLUSION There is a difference in the steady state between oral and transdermal E2 delivery. Steady state condition is achieved in the first application of a matrix patch, whereas with the application of a tablet the steady state is achieved in transdermal delivery within 12-14 days. Our reported calculated missed intake of a E2 tablet shows that E2 plasma levels drop for 4 days consecutively. Our conducted study has several limitations: firstly, no cross-over was conducted, but a rather cumbersome mathematical modeling; secondly, healthy women with no accompanying severe diseases were included in this study. The higher the oral dose, the higher the E2 steady state levels, but the time to achieve steady state levels is independent from the E2 dose.
Collapse
|
50
|
Objective cognitive performance is related to subjective memory complaints in midlife women with moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms. Menopause 2014; 20:1236-42. [PMID: 23676633 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0b013e318291f5a6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Memory complaints increase as women transition from the premenopausal stage to the postmenopausal stage. We explored the extent to which subjective memory complaints were associated with objective cognitive test performance, affective symptoms, and menopausal symptoms in midlife women with moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms. We predicted that subjective memory complaints would be related to affective symptoms and lower performance on tests of memory and attention. METHODS Sixty-eight midlife women (mean age, 53 y; 54% African American) with at least 35 hot flashes per week completed the Memory Functioning Questionnaire, a battery of objective cognitive tests, a menopausal symptom inventory, and mood questionnaires. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine predictors (symptoms and objective cognitive scores) of ratings on each of four Memory Functioning Questionnaire subscales and a validated single-item rating of current memory. RESULTS Negative affect and delayed verbal memory predicted a single-item rating of current memory. Negative affect and poorer scores on tests of attention and working memory predicted Frequency of Forgetting. Lower positive affect, higher vasomotor symptoms, and increased age predicted lower Retrospective Memory Functioning. Increased age predicted Use of Mnemonics. CONCLUSIONS These findings strengthen the growing body of evidence indicating that women with memory complaints during the menopausal transition have an accurate appraisal of their memory function and that their complaints relate to affect and, to a lesser extent, vasomotor symptoms. Given that cognitive performance is within the reference range, these findings suggest that women can detect subtle changes in memory performance during the menopausal transition.
Collapse
|