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Barth C, Galea LA, Jacobs EG, Lee BH, Westlye LT, de Lange AMG. Menopausal hormone therapy and the female brain: leveraging neuroimaging and prescription registry data from the UK Biobank cohort. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.04.08.24305450. [PMID: 38645009 PMCID: PMC11030497 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.08.24305450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is generally thought to be neuroprotective, yet results have been inconsistent. Here, we present a comprehensive study of MHT use and brain characteristics in middle- to older aged females from the UK Biobank, assessing detailed MHT data, APOE ε4 genotype, and tissue-specific gray (GM) and white matter (WM) brain age gap (BAG), as well as hippocampal and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volumes. Methods A total of 19,846 females with magnetic resonance imaging data were included (current-users = 1,153, 60.1 ± 6.8 years; past-users = 6,681, 67.5 ± 6.2 years; never-users = 12,012, mean age 61.6 ± 7.1 years). For a sub-sample (n = 538), MHT prescription data was extracted from primary care records. Brain measures were derived from T1-, T2- and diffusion-weighted images. We fitted regression models to test for associations between the brain measures and MHT variables including user status, age at initiation, dosage and duration, formulation, route of administration, and type (i.e., bioidentical vs synthetic), as well as active ingredient (e.g., estradiol hemihydrate). We further tested for differences in brain measures among MHT users with and without a history of hysterectomy ± bilateral oophorectomy and examined associations by APOE ε4 status. Results We found significantly higher GM and WM BAG (i.e., older brain age relative to chronological age) as well as smaller left and right hippocampus volumes in current MHT users, not past users, compared to never-users. Effects were modest, with the largest effect size indicating a group difference of 0.77 years (~9 months) for GM BAG. Among MHT users, we found no significant associations between age at MHT initiation and brain measures. Longer duration of use and older age at last use post menopause was associated with higher GM and WM BAG, larger WMH volume, and smaller left and right hippocampal volumes. MHT users with a history of hysterectomy ± bilateral oophorectomy showed lower GM BAG relative to MHT users without such history. Although we found smaller hippocampus volumes in carriers of two APOE ε4 alleles compared to non-carriers, we found no interactions with MHT variables. In the sub-sample with prescription data, we found no significant associations between detailed MHT variables and brain measures after adjusting for multiple comparisons. Discussion Our results indicate that population-level associations between MHT use, and female brain health might vary depending on duration of use and past surgical history. Future research is crucial to establish causality, dissect interactions between menopause-related neurological changes and MHT use, and determine individual-level implications to advance precision medicine in female health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Barth
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Liisa A.M. Galea
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Emily G. Jacobs
- Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Bonnie H. Lee
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lars T. Westlye
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ann-Marie G. de Lange
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Wang J, Sims KD, Ackley SF, Chen R, Kobayashi LC, Hayes‐Larson E, Mayeda ER, Buto P, Zimmerman SC, Graff RE, Glymour MM. Association of cancer history with structural brain aging markers of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias risk. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:880-889. [PMID: 37811979 PMCID: PMC10916958 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cancer survivors are less likely than comparably aged individuals without a cancer history to develop Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). METHODS In the UK Biobank, we investigated associations between cancer history and five structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers for ADRD risk, using linear mixed-effects models to assess differences in mean values and quantile regression to examine whether associations varied across the distribution of MRI markers. RESULTS Cancer history was associated with smaller mean hippocampal volume (b = -19 mm3 , 95% CI = -36, -1) and lower mean cortical thickness in the Alzheimer's disease signature region (b = -0.004 mm, 95% CI = -0.007, -0.000). Quantile regressions indicated individuals most vulnerable to ADRD were more affected by cancer history. DISCUSSION Some brain MRI markers associated with ADRD risk were elevated in adults with a history of cancer. The magnitude of the adverse associations varied across quantiles of neuroimaging markers, and the pattern suggests possible harmful associations for individuals already at high ADRD risk. HIGHLIGHTS We found no evidence of an inverse association between cancer history and ADRD-related neurodegeneration. Cancer history was associated with smaller mean hippocampal volume and lower mean cortical thickness in the Alzheimer's disease signature region. Quantile regressions indicated individuals most vulnerable to ADRD were more affected by cancer history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxuan Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Kendra D. Sims
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Sarah F. Ackley
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ruijia Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Lindsay C. Kobayashi
- Department of EpidemiologyUniversity of Michigan School of Public HealthAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Eleanor Hayes‐Larson
- Department of EpidemiologyFielding School of Public HealthUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Elizabeth Rose Mayeda
- Department of EpidemiologyFielding School of Public HealthUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Peter Buto
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Scott C. Zimmerman
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Rebecca E. Graff
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - M. Maria Glymour
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
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Kantarci K, Tosakulwong N, Lesnick TG, Kara F, Kendall-Thomas J, Kapoor E, Fields JA, James TT, Lobo RA, Manson JE, Pal L, Hammers DB, Malek-Ahmadi M, Cedars MI, Naftolin FN, Santoro N, Miller VM, Harman SM, Dowling NM, Gleason CE. Cardiometabolic outcomes in Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study continuation: 14-year follow-up of a hormone therapy trial. Menopause 2024; 31:10-17. [PMID: 37989141 PMCID: PMC10756493 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000002278] [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: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine long-term cardiometabolic effects of hormone therapies initiated within 3 years of onset of menopause after a 14-year follow-up study of participants of the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS). METHODS KEEPS was a multisite clinical trial that recruited recently menopausal women with good cardiovascular health for randomization to oral conjugated equine estrogens (Premarin, 0.45 mg/d) or transdermal 17β-estradiol (Climara, 50 μg/d) both with micronized progesterone (Prometrium, 200 mg/d) for 12 d/mo, or placebo pills and patch for 4 years. KEEPS continuation recontacted KEEPS participants 14 years after randomization and 10 years after the completion of the 4-year clinical trial to attend in-person clinic visits. RESULTS Participants of KEEPS continuation (n = 299 of the 727 KEEPS participants; 41%) had an average age of 67 years (range, 58-73 y). Measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressures, waist-to-hip ratio, fasting levels of glucose, insulin, lipid profiles, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance were not different among the treatment groups at either KEEPS baseline or at KEEPS continuation visits, or for change between these two visits. The frequency of self-reported diabetes ( P = 0.007) and use of diabetes medications was higher in the placebo than the oral conjugated equine estrogens ( P = 0.045) or transdermal 17β-estradiol ( P = 0.02) groups, but these differences were not supported by the laboratory measurements of glycemia or insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS There was no evidence of cardiovascular and/or metabolic benefits or adverse effects associated with 4 years use of oral or transdermal forms of hormone therapy by recently menopausal women with good cardiovascular health after 10 years.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - JoAnn E. Manson
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sherman M. Harman
- Phoenix VA Health University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ
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Barth C, Crestol A, de Lange AMG, Galea LAM. Sex steroids and the female brain across the lifespan: insights into risk of depression and Alzheimer's disease. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2023; 11:926-941. [PMID: 37865102 DOI: 10.1016/s2213-8587(23)00224-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Despite widespread sex differences in prevalence and presentation of numerous illnesses affecting the human brain, there has been little focus on the effect of endocrine ageing. Most preclinical studies have focused on males only, and clinical studies often analyse data by covarying for sex, ignoring relevant differences between the sexes. This sex- (and gender)-neutral approach is biased and contributes to the absence of targeted treatments and services for all sexes (and genders). Female health has been historically understudied, with grave consequences for their wellbeing and health equity. In this Review, we spotlight female brain health across the lifespan by informing on the role of sex steroids, particularly oestradiol, on the female brain and on risk for diseases more prevalent in females, such as depression and Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Barth
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Arielle Crestol
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ann-Marie G de Lange
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Nerattini M, Jett S, Andy C, Carlton C, Zarate C, Boneu C, Battista M, Pahlajani S, Loeb-Zeitlin S, Havryulik Y, Williams S, Christos P, Fink M, Brinton RD, Mosconi L. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of menopause hormone therapy on risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1260427. [PMID: 37937120 PMCID: PMC10625913 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1260427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Despite a large preclinical literature demonstrating neuroprotective effects of estrogen, use of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) for Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk reduction has been controversial. Herein, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of HT effects on AD and dementia risk. Methods Our systematic search yielded 6 RCT reports (21,065 treated and 20,997 placebo participants) and 45 observational reports (768,866 patient cases and 5.5 million controls). We used fixed and random effect meta-analysis to derive pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (C.I.) from these studies. Results Randomized controlled trials conducted in postmenopausal women ages 65 and older show an increased risk of dementia with HT use compared with placebo [RR = 1.38, 95% C.I. 1.16-1.64, p < 0.001], driven by estrogen-plus-progestogen therapy (EPT) [RR = 1.64, 95% C.I. 1.20-2.25, p = 0.002] and no significant effects of estrogen-only therapy (ET) [RR = 1.19, 95% C.I. 0.92-1.54, p = 0.18]. Conversely, observational studies indicate a reduced risk of AD [RR = 0.78, 95% C.I. 0.64-0.95, p = 0.013] and all-cause dementia [RR = .81, 95% C.I. 0.70-0.94, p = 0.007] with HT use, with protective effects noted with ET [RR = 0.86, 95% C.I. 0.77-0.95, p = 0.002] but not with EPT [RR = 0.910, 95% C.I. 0.775-1.069, p = 0.251]. Stratified analysis of pooled estimates indicates a 32% reduced risk of dementia with midlife ET [RR = 0.685, 95% C.I. 0.513-0.915, p = 0.010] and non-significant reductions with midlife EPT [RR = 0.775, 95% C.I. 0.474-1.266, p = 0.309]. Late-life HT use was associated with increased risk, albeit not significant [EPT: RR = 1.323, 95% C.I. 0.979-1.789, p = 0.069; ET: RR = 1.066, 95% C.I. 0.996-1.140, p = 0.066]. Discussion These findings support renewed research interest in evaluating midlife estrogen therapy for AD risk reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilde Nerattini
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Nuclear Medicine Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Steven Jett
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Caroline Andy
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Caroline Carlton
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Camila Zarate
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Camila Boneu
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Michael Battista
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Silky Pahlajani
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Susan Loeb-Zeitlin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yelena Havryulik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Schantel Williams
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Paul Christos
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Matthew Fink
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Roberta Diaz Brinton
- Department of Neurology and Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Lisa Mosconi
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Nuclear Medicine Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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Ramli NZ, Yahaya MF, Mohd Fahami NA, Abdul Manan H, Singh M, Damanhuri HA. Brain volumetric changes in menopausal women and its association with cognitive function: a structured review. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1158001. [PMID: 37818479 PMCID: PMC10561270 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1158001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The menopausal transition has been proposed to put women at risk for undesirable neurological symptoms, including cognitive decline. Previous studies suggest that alterations in the hormonal milieu modulate brain structures associated with cognitive function. This structured review provides an overview of the relevant studies that have utilized MRI to report volumetric differences in the brain following menopause, and its correlations with the evaluated cognitive functions. We performed an electronic literature search using Medline (Ovid) and Scopus to identify studies that assessed the influence of menopause on brain structure with MRI. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Brain volumetric differences have been reported most frequently in the frontal and temporal cortices as well as the hippocampus. These regions are important for higher cognitive tasks and memory. Additionally, the deficit in verbal and visuospatial memory in postmenopausal women has been associated with smaller regional brain volumes. Nevertheless, the limited number of eligible studies and cross-sectional study designs warrant further research to draw more robust conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Zuliani Ramli
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Mohamad Fairuz Yahaya
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nur Azlina Mohd Fahami
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Hanani Abdul Manan
- Functional Image Processing Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Meharvan Singh
- Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Hanafi Ahmad Damanhuri
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Ye C, Behnke JA, Hardin KR, Zheng JQ. Drosophila melanogaster as a model to study age and sex differences in brain injury and neurodegeneration after mild head trauma. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1150694. [PMID: 37077318 PMCID: PMC10106652 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1150694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Repetitive physical insults to the head, including those that elicit mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), are a known risk factor for a variety of neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Although most individuals who sustain mTBI typically achieve a seemingly full recovery within a few weeks, a subset experience delayed-onset symptoms later in life. As most mTBI research has focused on the acute phase of injury, there is an incomplete understanding of mechanisms related to the late-life emergence of neurodegeneration after early exposure to mild head trauma. The recent adoption of Drosophila-based brain injury models provides several unique advantages over existing preclinical animal models, including a tractable framework amenable to high-throughput assays and short relative lifespan conducive to lifelong mechanistic investigation. The use of flies also provides an opportunity to investigate important risk factors associated with neurodegenerative conditions, specifically age and sex. In this review, we survey current literature that examines age and sex as contributing factors to head trauma-mediated neurodegeneration in humans and preclinical models, including mammalian and Drosophila models. We discuss similarities and disparities between human and fly in aging, sex differences, and pathophysiology. Finally, we highlight Drosophila as an effective tool for investigating mechanisms underlying head trauma-induced neurodegeneration and for identifying therapeutic targets for treatment and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changtian Ye
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Joseph A. Behnke
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Katherine R. Hardin
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - James Q. Zheng
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Гаспарян СА, Чотчаева АМ, Карпов СМ. [Cognitive and psychoemotional changes in menopausal transition: The possibility of medical correction]. PROBLEMY ENDOKRINOLOGII 2023; 69:86-95. [PMID: 36842081 PMCID: PMC9978879 DOI: 10.14341/probl13205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
The increasing of older age group in the population determines studying of age related diseases and emergence of new investigations in this area. In Female body, entering the menopausal transition is the start of «aging» of reproductive function and linked with decreasing of sex hormons levels. A direct connection between changes of estrogen, progesterone, androgen ratios and cognitive function of women was revealed. The anatomical localization of sex hormone receptors, the mechanisms of interaction of hormones with these receptors determine the ways of implementing biological effects of steroids on the CNS. Modern theories of «healthy nerve cells» and «eu-estrogenemia» explains the role of additional criteria, such as the absence of neurological diseases history and the duration of hypoestrogenia, to the outcome of menopausal hormone therapy. Additional factors that can affect to MHT action include: the composition of hormone therapy, administration methods, regimens (cyclic, continuous), duration of treatment, history of endocrine diseases, diabetes mellitus, gynecological history (parity, menarche age, COC use), heredity. The sections present the effect of menopausal transition on the development of depression, mood changes, sleep disturbances and mental disabilities. The explanation of negative effects of menopausal hormone therapy to cognitive health is also described by modern point of view. The ambivalent opinions of researchers, the potential of new reading of the results of earlier studies, confirms the necessity of continuing study of this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - С. М. Карпов
- Ставропольский государственный медицинский университет
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Is Hormone Replacement Therapy a Risk Factor or a Therapeutic Option for Alzheimer's Disease? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043205. [PMID: 36834617 PMCID: PMC9964432 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that accounts for more than half of all dementia cases in the elderly. Interestingly, the clinical manifestations of AD disproportionately affect women, comprising two thirds of all AD cases. Although the underlying mechanisms for these sex differences are not fully elucidated, evidence suggests a link between menopause and a higher risk of developing AD, highlighting the critical role of decreased estrogen levels in AD pathogenesis. The focus of this review is to evaluate clinical and observational studies in women, which have investigated the impact of estrogens on cognition or attempted to answer the prevailing question regarding the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a preventive or therapeutic option for AD. The articles were retrieved through a systematic review of the databases: OVID, SCOPUS, and PubMed (keywords "memory", "dementia," "cognition," "Alzheimer's disease", "estrogen", "estradiol", "hormone therapy" and "hormone replacement therapy" and by searching reference sections from identified studies and review articles). This review presents the relevant literature available on the topic and discusses the mechanisms, effects, and hypotheses that contribute to the conflicting findings of HRT in the prevention and treatment of age-related cognitive deficits and AD. The literature suggests that estrogens have a clear role in modulating dementia risk, with reliable evidence showing that HRT can have both a beneficial and a deleterious effect. Importantly, recommendation for the use of HRT should consider the age of initiation and baseline characteristics, such as genotype and cardiovascular health, as well as the dosage, formulation, and duration of treatment until the risk factors that modulate the effects of HRT can be more thoroughly investigated or progress in the development of alternative treatments can be made.
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Saleh RNM, Hornberger M, Ritchie CW, Minihane AM. Hormone replacement therapy is associated with improved cognition and larger brain volumes in at-risk APOE4 women: results from the European Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease (EPAD) cohort. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:10. [PMID: 36624497 PMCID: PMC9830747 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-022-01121-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The risk of dementia is higher in women than men. The metabolic consequences of estrogen decline during menopause accelerate neuropathology in women. The use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the prevention of cognitive decline has shown conflicting results. Here we investigate the modulating role of APOE genotype and age at HRT initiation on the heterogeneity in cognitive response to HRT. METHODS The analysis used baseline data from participants in the European Prevention of Alzheimer's Dementia (EPAD) cohort (total n= 1906, women= 1178, 61.8%). Analysis of covariate (ANCOVA) models were employed to test the independent and interactive impact of APOE genotype and HRT on select cognitive tests, such as MMSE, RBANS, dot counting, Four Mountain Test (FMT), and the supermarket trolley test (SMT), together with volumes of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) regions by MRI. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the impact of age of HRT initiation according to APOE4 carrier status on these cognitive and MRI outcomes. RESULTS APOE4 HRT users had the highest RBANS delayed memory index score (P-APOE*HRT interaction = 0.009) compared to APOE4 non-users and to non-APOE4 carriers, with 6-10% larger entorhinal (left) and amygdala (right and left) volumes (P-interaction= 0.002, 0.003, and 0.005 respectively). Earlier introduction of HRT was associated with larger right (standardized β= -0.555, p=0.035) and left hippocampal volumes (standardized β= -0.577, p=0.028) only in APOE4 carriers. CONCLUSION HRT introduction is associated with improved delayed memory and larger entorhinal and amygdala volumes in APOE4 carriers only. This may represent an effective targeted strategy to mitigate the higher life-time risk of AD in this large at-risk population subgroup. Confirmation of findings in a fit for purpose RCT with prospective recruitment based on APOE genotype is needed to establish causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasha N M Saleh
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
| | | | - Craig W Ritchie
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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Stites SD, Cao H, James R, Harkins K, Coykendall C, Flatt JD. A systematic review of measures of gender and biological sex: Exploring candidates for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) research. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 15:e12359. [PMID: 36845632 PMCID: PMC9943901 DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Background Gender and biological sex are social and structural determinants of health and umbrella concepts encompassing many distinct attributes. This systematic review summarizes measures of gender and biological sex published in the biomedical literature. The goal was to identify measures that may be useful to researchers studying Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease related dementias (AD/ADRD). Methods A search of PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO (ProQuest platform) databases from 2000 to 2021 identified 1454 articles, which were then screened by five independent reviewers. Measures of gender and biological sex are summarized according to theoretical commitments and psychometric properties. Results Twenty-nine measures were identified that assessed gender-related constructs, and 4 were identified that assessed biological factors. Self-report instruments characterized aspects of gender, such as gender stereotypes, norms, and ideologies. One measure was developed with a focus on older adults (65+ years). Discussion We offer recommendations to guide measurement of gender in AD/ADRD research, including how the use of specific existing measures may help advance AD/ADRD research. The lack of gender measures for older adults limits AD/ADRD research. New measures may be needed to address lifespan and generational differences in gender factors. Highlights A review of articles identifies 29 measures of gender in biomedical research.Gender is captured using multidimensional, self-reported concepts.One measure was developed with a focus on older adults (65+).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shana D. Stites
- Department of PsychiatryPerelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Hannah Cao
- School of Social Policy and PracticeUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Richard James
- University of Pennsylvania LibrariesPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Kristin Harkins
- Division of Geriatric MedicineDepartment of MedicinePerelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Cameron Coykendall
- Division of Geriatric MedicineDepartment of MedicinePerelman School of MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Jason D. Flatt
- Department of Social and Behavioral HealthSchool of Public HealthUniversity of NevadaLas VegasNevadaUSA
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12
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Gartlehner G, Patel SV, Reddy S, Rains C, Schwimmer M, Kahwati L. Hormone Therapy for the Primary Prevention of Chronic Conditions in Postmenopausal Persons: Updated Evidence Report and Systematic Review for the US Preventive Services Task Force. JAMA 2022; 328:1747-1765. [PMID: 36318128 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2022.18324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE It is uncertain whether hormone therapy should be used for the primary prevention of chronic conditions such as heart disease, osteoporosis, or some types of cancers. OBJECTIVE To update evidence for the US Preventive Services Task Force on the benefits and harms of hormone therapy in reducing risks for chronic conditions. DATA SOURCES PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and trial registries from January 1, 2016, through October 12, 2021; surveillance through July 2022. STUDY SELECTION English-language randomized clinical trials and prospective cohort studies of fair or good quality. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS Dual review of abstracts, full-text articles, and study quality; meta-analyses when at least 3 similar studies were available. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Morbidity and mortality related to chronic conditions; health-related quality of life. RESULTS Twenty trials (N = 39 145) and 3 cohort studies (N = 1 155 410) were included. Participants using estrogen only compared with placebo had significantly lower risks for diabetes over 7.1 years (1050 vs 903 cases; 134 fewer [95% CI, 18-237]) and fractures over 7.2 years (1024 vs 1413 cases; 388 fewer [95% CI, 277-489]) per 10 000 persons. Risks per 10 000 persons were statistically significantly increased for gallbladder disease over 7.1 years (1113 vs 737 cases; 377 more [95% CI, 234-540]), stroke over 7.2 years (318 vs 239 cases; 79 more [95% CI, 15-159]), venous thromboembolism over 7.2 years (258 vs 181 cases; 77 more [95% CI, 19-153]), and urinary incontinence over 1 year (2331 vs 1446 cases; 885 more [95% CI, 659-1135]). Participants using estrogen plus progestin compared with placebo experienced significantly lower risks, per 10 000 persons, for colorectal cancer over 5.6 years (59 vs 93 cases; 34 fewer [95% CI, 9-51]), diabetes over 5.6 years (403 vs 482 cases; 78 fewer [95% CI, 15-133]), and fractures over 5 years (864 vs 1094 cases; 230 fewer [95% CI, 66-372]). Risks, per 10 000 persons, were significantly increased for invasive breast cancer (242 vs 191 cases; 51 more [95% CI, 6-106]), gallbladder disease (723 vs 463 cases; 260 more [95% CI, 169-364]), stroke (187 vs 135 cases; 52 more [95% CI, 12-104]), and venous thromboembolism (246 vs 126 cases; 120 more [95% CI, 68-185]) over 5.6 years; probable dementia (179 vs 91 cases; 88 more [95% CI, 15-212]) over 4.0 years; and urinary incontinence (1707 vs 1145 cases; 562 more [95% CI, 412-726]) over 1 year. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Use of hormone therapy in postmenopausal persons for the primary prevention of chronic conditions was associated with some benefits but also with an increased risk of harms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Gartlehner
- RTI International-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center
- Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Austria
| | - Sheila V Patel
- RTI International-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center
| | - Shivani Reddy
- RTI International-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center
| | - Caroline Rains
- RTI International-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center
| | | | - Leila Kahwati
- RTI International-University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Evidence-based Practice Center
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13
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Huang AJ, Grady D. Menopausal Hormone Therapy for Prevention of Chronic Conditions: When Is Enough, Enough? JAMA 2022; 328:1712-1713. [PMID: 36318153 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2022.19098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Huang
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Deborah Grady
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
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14
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Jett S, Schelbaum E, Jang G, Boneu Yepez C, Dyke JP, Pahlajani S, Diaz Brinton R, Mosconi L. Ovarian steroid hormones: A long overlooked but critical contributor to brain aging and Alzheimer's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:948219. [PMID: 35928995 PMCID: PMC9344010 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.948219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian hormones, particularly 17β-estradiol, are involved in numerous neurophysiological and neurochemical processes, including those subserving cognitive function. Estradiol plays a key role in the neurobiology of aging, in part due to extensive interconnectivity of the neural and endocrine system. This aspect of aging is fundamental for women's brains as all women experience a drop in circulating estradiol levels in midlife, after menopause. Given the importance of estradiol for brain function, it is not surprising that up to 80% of peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women report neurological symptoms including changes in thermoregulation (vasomotor symptoms), mood, sleep, and cognitive performance. Preclinical evidence for neuroprotective effects of 17β-estradiol also indicate associations between menopause, cognitive aging, and Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia affecting nearly twice more women than men. Brain imaging studies demonstrated that middle-aged women exhibit increased indicators of AD endophenotype as compared to men of the same age, with onset in perimenopause. Herein, we take a translational approach to illustrate the contribution of ovarian hormones in maintaining cognition in women, with evidence implicating menopause-related declines in 17β-estradiol in cognitive aging and AD risk. We will review research focused on the role of endogenous and exogenous estrogen exposure as a key underlying mechanism to neuropathological aging in women, with a focus on whether brain structure, function and neurochemistry respond to hormone treatment. While still in development, this research area offers a new sex-based perspective on brain aging and risk of AD, while also highlighting an urgent need for better integration between neurology, psychiatry, and women's health practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Jett
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Eva Schelbaum
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Grace Jang
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Camila Boneu Yepez
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jonathan P. Dyke
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Silky Pahlajani
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Roberta Diaz Brinton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Lisa Mosconi
- Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
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15
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Salminen LE, Tubi MA, Bright J, Thomopoulos SI, Wieand A, Thompson PM. Sex is a defining feature of neuroimaging phenotypes in major brain disorders. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:500-542. [PMID: 33949018 PMCID: PMC8805690 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex is a biological variable that contributes to individual variability in brain structure and behavior. Neuroimaging studies of population-based samples have identified normative differences in brain structure between males and females, many of which are exacerbated in psychiatric and neurological conditions. Still, sex differences in MRI outcomes are understudied, particularly in clinical samples with known sex differences in disease risk, prevalence, and expression of clinical symptoms. Here we review the existing literature on sex differences in adult brain structure in normative samples and in 14 distinct psychiatric and neurological disorders. We discuss commonalities and sources of variance in study designs, analysis procedures, disease subtype effects, and the impact of these factors on MRI interpretation. Lastly, we identify key problems in the neuroimaging literature on sex differences and offer potential recommendations to address current barriers and optimize rigor and reproducibility. In particular, we emphasize the importance of large-scale neuroimaging initiatives such as the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analyses consortium, the UK Biobank, Human Connectome Project, and others to provide unprecedented power to evaluate sex-specific phenotypes in major brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E. Salminen
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Meral A. Tubi
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Joanna Bright
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Sophia I. Thomopoulos
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Alyssa Wieand
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Paul M. Thompson
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
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16
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Voldsbekk I, Barth C, Maximov II, Kaufmann T, Beck D, Richard G, Moberget T, Westlye LT, de Lange AG. A history of previous childbirths is linked to women's white matter brain age in midlife and older age. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:4372-4386. [PMID: 34118094 PMCID: PMC8356991 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal brain adaptations occur in response to pregnancy, but little is known about how parity impacts white matter and white matter ageing trajectories later in life. Utilising global and regional brain age prediction based on multi-shell diffusion-weighted imaging data, we investigated the association between previous childbirths and white matter brain age in 8,895 women in the UK Biobank cohort (age range = 54-81 years). The results showed that number of previous childbirths was negatively associated with white matter brain age, potentially indicating a protective effect of parity on white matter later in life. Both global white matter and grey matter brain age estimates showed unique contributions to the association with previous childbirths, suggesting partly independent processes. Corpus callosum contributed uniquely to the global white matter association with previous childbirths, and showed a stronger relationship relative to several other tracts. While our findings demonstrate a link between reproductive history and brain white matter characteristics later in life, longitudinal studies are required to establish causality and determine how parity may influence women's white matter trajectories across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Voldsbekk
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
- Department of Health and FunctioningWestern Norway University of Applied SciencesBergenNorway
| | - Claudia Barth
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
| | - Ivan I. Maximov
- Department of Health and FunctioningWestern Norway University of Applied SciencesBergenNorway
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Tobias Kaufmann
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
- Department of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyUniversity of TübingenTübingenGermany
| | - Dani Beck
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
- Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital HTOsloNorway
| | - Genevieve Richard
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
| | - Torgeir Moberget
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Lars T. Westlye
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental DisordersUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Ann‐Marie G. de Lange
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
- LREN, Centre for Research in Neurosciences, Department of Clinical NeurosciencesLausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
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17
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Reproductive aging and Alzheimer disease biomarkers: an evolving field. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 28:1083-1084. [PMID: 34429389 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000001857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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18
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Najar J, Hällström T, Zettergren A, Johansson L, Joas E, Fässberg MM, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Kern S, Skoog I. Reproductive period and preclinical cerebrospinal fluid markers for Alzheimer disease: a 25-year study. Menopause 2021; 28:1099-1107. [PMID: 34225325 PMCID: PMC8462446 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000001816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to examine the association between reproductive period, as an indicator of endogenous estrogen, and levels of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for Alzheimer disease (AD). METHODS A population-based sample of women from Gothenburg, Sweden was followed from 1968 to 1994 (N = 75). All women had natural menopause and were free from dementia. Information on reproductive period (age at menarche to age at menopause) was obtained from interviews from 1968 to 1980. Lumbar puncture was performed from 1992 to 1994 and CSF levels of Aβ42, Aβ40, P-tau, and T-tau were measured with immunochemical methods. Linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders were used to analyze the relationship between reproductive period and CSF biomarkers for AD. RESULTS Longer reproductive period was associated with lower levels of Aβ42 (β = -19.2, P = 0.01), higher levels of P-tau (β = 0.03, P = 0.01), and lower ratio of Aβ42/Aβ40 (β = -0.02, P = 0.01), while no association was observed for T-tau (β = 0.01, P = 0.46). In separate analyses, examining the different components of reproductive period, earlier age at menarche was associated higher levels of P-tau (β = -0.07, P = 0.031) and lower ratio of Aβ42/Aβ40 (β = 0.05, P = 0.021), whereas no association was observed with Aβ42 (β = 31.1, P = 0.11) and T-tau (β = -0.001, P = 0.98). Furthermore, no association was observed between age at menopause and CSF biomarkers for AD. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that longer exposure to endogenous estrogen may be associated with increased levels of AD biomarkers in the preclinical phase of AD. These findings, however, need to be confirmed in larger samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna Najar
- Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Psychiatry, Cognition and Old Age Psychiatry Clinic, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tore Hällström
- Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Anna Zettergren
- Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Lena Johansson
- Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Erik Joas
- Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg
- Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Silke Kern
- Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Psychiatry, Cognition and Old Age Psychiatry Clinic, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ingmar Skoog
- Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Psychiatry, Cognition and Old Age Psychiatry Clinic, Gothenburg, Sweden
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19
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Gong B, Wu C. The mediating and moderating effects of depression on the relationship between cognitive function and difficulty in activities of daily living among postmenopausal women. Menopause 2021; 28:667-677. [PMID: 33857954 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000001773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cognitive function and depression impact critically the daily functioning of menopausal women. This study aimed to explore the mediating and moderating effects of depressive symptoms on the association between cognitive function and activities of daily living (ADL) difficulty in postmenopausal women. METHODS A total of 2,596 postmenopausal women from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study completed the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination, basic ADL (BADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) scales, and 10-item Short-Form Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression. We constructed structural equation modeling to examine the association between cognitive function, depressive symptoms, and BADL/IADL difficulty. RESULTS The prevalence of BADL/IADL difficulty in postmenopausal women was 22.5% and 31.5%, respectively. After adjustments for demographic and health-related covariates, cognitive decline (contributed by four cognitive dimensions with different weights) was significantly associated with BADL/IADL difficulty (contributed by six-item daily activities with different weights). Depressive symptoms mediated and explained 28.8% and 23.2% of cognitive function associations with BADL and IADL difficulty, respectively. The Johnson-Neyman technique identified a threshold of eight and four for depressive symptoms, beyond which the protective effect of cognitive function on BADL and IADL emerged. CONCLUSIONS Depressive symptoms mediated and moderated the association between cognition and BADL/IADL difficulty in postmenopausal women. Compared with BADL, IADL may be more sensitive to changes in cognitive function. More strength should be put on developing comprehensive intervention techniques focusing on simultaneous intervention of multidimensional cognitive function and depression to maintain and improve the quality of life of postmenopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyan Gong
- Peking University School of Nursing, Beijing, China
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20
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Abstract
Since the introduction of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) in the 1940s, randomized clinical trials and observational studies have been performed to determine the benefits and risks of MHT. However, MHT therapeutic impact remains under debate as multiple factors including genetic biomarkers and medical history contribute to inter-individual variations in neurodegenerative diseases. Herein, we review the characteristics of women who participated in clinical studies and methodological approaches for study analyses to assess the critical variables influencing an association between MHT and risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Outcomes of the review indicated that: (1) observational studies assessed outcomes of MHT in symptomatic women whereas MHT clinical trials were conducted in asymptomatic postmenopausal women not treated for menopausal symptoms, (2) in asymptomatic postmenopausal women, late MHT intervention was of no benefit, (3) different MHT treatments and regimens between observational studies and clinical trials may impact outcomes, and (4) observational studies may provide greater predictive validity for long-term neurological health outcomes as MHT was introduced in symptomatic women and administered over a long period of time. Going forward, achieving precision hormone therapy will require a priori identification of symptomatic women appropriate for MHT and the type and dose of MHT appropriate for their genetic profile and health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y J Kim
- Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - R D Brinton
- Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.,Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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21
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Than S, Moran C, Beare R, Vincent AJ, Collyer TA, Wang W, Callisaya ML, Thomson R, Phan TG, Fornito A, Srikanth VK. Interactions Between Age, Sex, Menopause, and Brain Structure at Midlife: A UK Biobank Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2021; 106:410-420. [PMID: 33205159 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgaa847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Age and female sex are risk factors for dementia, and menopause is associated with cognitive dysfunction. Previous work largely considered the effects of sex and menopause as being independent of age. We studied whether age interacts with sex or menopause in explaining imaging biomarkers of dementia during midlife. METHODS In this cross-sectional study of UK Biobank participants with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we explored the interaction of age with sex or menopausal status in explaining total brain volume (TBV), gray matter volume (GMV), white matter volume (WMV), white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV), regional cortical volume , and subcortical volume. RESULTS Data were available for 1827 postmenopausal women, 230 pre/perimenopausal women and 2165 men (median age 63.3 years). There was a significant interaction between age and sex (P = .024) for TBV, where the inverse association age with TBV was steeper in women (β = -5.35 mL/year) than in men (β = -4.77 mL/year). Similar age-sex interactions were also observed for GMV and WMV. In women, there was a significant interaction between age and menopausal status (P = .007) where the inverse association of age with TBV was steeper in postmenopausal (β = -5.89 mL/year) than in pre/perimenopausal women (β = -1.61 mL/year). Similar age-menopause interactions were found in predicting lower GMV and higher WMHV. Differences in the direction of these age-sex and age-menopause interactions were found for regional cortical and subcortical brain volumes. CONCLUSION Sex and menopause both interact with age during midlife in explaining MRI biomarkers of dementia. Further work is required to understand the mechanisms driving these interactions to develop strategies for delaying dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Than
- Academic Unit, Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Peninsula Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chris Moran
- Academic Unit, Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Peninsula Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Richard Beare
- Academic Unit, Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
- Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amanda J Vincent
- Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Endocrinology, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Taya A Collyer
- Academic Unit, Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Wei Wang
- Academic Unit, Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine, Cabrini Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michele L Callisaya
- Academic Unit, Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Russell Thomson
- Centre for Research in Mathematics, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Thanh G Phan
- Stroke and Aging Research Group, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alex Fornito
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, School of Psychological Science, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Velandai K Srikanth
- Academic Unit, Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School, Melbourne, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Peninsula Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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22
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Jayachandran M, Lahr BD, Bailey KR, Miller VM, Kantarci K. Menopausal hormone therapy, blood thrombogenicity, and development of white matter hyperintensities in women of the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 27:305-310. [PMID: 31934946 PMCID: PMC7050795 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000001465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Objective: Development of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in the brain is associated with blood thrombogenicity in recently menopausal women. This study examined the influence of menopausal hormone treatments (MHTs) on this association. Methods: Measures of blood thrombogenicity were examined in women of the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (n = 95) who had brain magnetic resonance imaging before and during the 48 months of randomization to transdermal 17β-estradiol (n = 30), oral conjugated equine estrogen (n = 29) both with progesterone for 12 days per month or placebo pills and patch (n = 36). Principal components (PCs) analysis was used to reduce the dimensionality of 14 markers of platelet activation and blood thrombogenicity. The first 5 PCs were assessed for association with treatment and changes in WMH. Within-person slopes were obtained to capture the extent of WMH change for each woman. Results: WMH increased in all groups over the 48 months (P = 0.044). The partial effect of PC1, representing an average of six thrombogenicity variables (microvesicles derived from endothelium, leukocytes, and monocytes, and positive for tissue factor and adhesion molecules) on WMH was significant (P = 0.003). PC3, reflecting a contrast of platelet microaggregates and adenosine triphosphate secretion versus total platelet count, differed across groups (P = 0.006) with higher scores in the oral conjugated equine estrogen group. The global association between PCs and WMH increase, however, did not differ significantly by MHT (P = 0.207 for interaction between MHT and PC's). Conclusion: In recently menopausal women, the type of MHT did not significantly influence the association of markers of blood thrombogenicity with development of WMH in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muthuvel Jayachandran
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.,Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Brian D Lahr
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Kent R Bailey
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Virginia M Miller
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.,Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
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23
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Rehbein E, Hornung J, Sundström Poromaa I, Derntl B. Shaping of the Female Human Brain by Sex Hormones: A Review. Neuroendocrinology 2021; 111:183-206. [PMID: 32155633 DOI: 10.1159/000507083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Traditionally sex hormones have been associated with reproductive and developmental processes only. Since the 1950s we know that hormones can have organizational effects on the developing brain and initiate hormonal transition periods such as puberty. However, recent evidence shows that sex hormones additionally structure the brain during important hormonal transition periods across a woman's life including short-term fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. However, a comprehensive review focusing on structural changes during all hormonal transition phases of women is still missing. Therefore, in this review structural changes across hormonal transition periods (i.e., puberty, menstrual cycle, oral contraceptive intake, pregnancy and menopause) were investigated in a structured way and correlations with sex hormones evaluated. Results show an overall reduction in grey matter and region-specific decreases in prefrontal, parietal and middle temporal areas during puberty. Across the menstrual cycle grey matter plasticity in the hippocampus, the amygdala as well as temporal and parietal regions were most consistently reported. Studies reporting on pre- and post-pregnancy measurements revealed volume reductions in midline structures as well as prefrontal and temporal cortices. During perimenopause, the decline in sex hormones was paralleled with a reduction in hippocampal and parietal cortex volume. Brain volume changes were significantly correlated with estradiol, testosterone and progesterone levels in some studies, but directionality remains inconclusive between studies. These results indicate that sex hormones play an important role in shaping women's brain structure during different transition periods and are not restricted to specific developmental periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Rehbein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Innovative Neuroimaging, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany,
| | - Jonas Hornung
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Innovative Neuroimaging, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Innovative Neuroimaging, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Lead Graduate School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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24
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Tan GCY, Chu C, Lee YT, Tan CCK, Ashburner J, Wood NW, Frackowiak RS. The influence of microsatellite polymorphisms in sex steroid receptor genes ESR1, ESR2 and AR on sex differences in brain structure. Neuroimage 2020; 221:117087. [PMID: 32593802 PMCID: PMC8960998 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR), oestrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) and oestrogen receptor beta (ESR2) play essential roles in mediating the effect of sex hormones on sex differences in the brain. Using Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and gene sizing in two independent samples (discovery n = 173, replication = 61), we determine the common and unique influences on brain sex differences in grey (GM) and white matter (WM) volume between repeat lengths (n) of microsatellite polymorphisms AR(CAG)n, ESR1(TA)n and ESR2(CA)n. In the hypothalamus, temporal lobes, anterior cingulate cortex, posterior insula and prefrontal cortex, we find increased GM volume with increasing AR(CAG)n across sexes, decreasing ESR1(TA)n across sexes and decreasing ESR2(CA)n in females. Uniquely, AR(CAG)n was positively associated with dorsolateral prefrontal and orbitofrontal GM volume and the anterior corona radiata, left superior fronto-occipital fasciculus, thalamus and internal capsule WM volume. ESR1(TA)n was negatively associated with the left superior corona radiata, left cingulum and left inferior longitudinal fasciculus WM volume uniquely. ESR2(CA)n was negatively associated with right fusiform and posterior cingulate cortex uniquely. We thus describe the neuroanatomical correlates of three microsatellite polymorphisms of steroid hormone receptors and their relationship to sex differences. Microsatellite polymorphisms in sex hormone receptor genes influence volume in regions of brain sex difference AR(CAG)n repeat length is positively associated with grey and white matter volume across males and females ESR1(TA)n repeat length is negatively associated with grey and white matter volume across males and females ESR2(CA)n repeat length is negatively associated with grey matter volume in females but not in males Repeat length was associated with volume in the hypothalamus, insula, temporal cortices, prefrontal cortices, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi in the three genes. These regions were largely replicated in an independent cohort acquired on a separate scanner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Chern-Yee Tan
- Institute of Mental Health, National Healthcare Group, Singapore; Clinical Imaging Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A(∗)STAR), Singapore.
| | - Carlton Chu
- DeepMind Technologies Limited, United Kingdom, UK
| | - Yu Teng Lee
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - John Ashburner
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London (UCL), United Kingdom, UK
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25
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de Lange AMG, Barth C, Kaufmann T, Maximov II, van der Meer D, Agartz I, Westlye LT. Women's brain aging: Effects of sex-hormone exposure, pregnancies, and genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:5141-5150. [PMID: 32856754 PMCID: PMC7670641 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex hormones such as estrogen fluctuate across the female lifespan, with high levels during reproductive years and natural decline during the transition to menopause. Women's exposure to estrogen may influence their heightened risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) relative to men, but little is known about how it affects normal brain aging. Recent findings from the UK Biobank demonstrate less apparent brain aging in women with a history of multiple childbirths, highlighting a potential link between sex-hormone exposure and brain aging. We investigated endogenous and exogenous sex-hormone exposure, genetic risk for AD, and neuroimaging-derived biomarkers for brain aging in 16,854 middle to older-aged women. The results showed that as opposed to parity, higher cumulative sex-hormone exposure was associated with more evident brain aging, indicating that i) high levels of cumulative exposure to sex-hormones may have adverse effects on the brain, and ii) beneficial effects of pregnancies on the female brain are not solely attributable to modulations in sex-hormone exposure. In addition, for women using hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), starting treatment earlier was associated with less evident brain aging, but only in women with a genetic risk for AD. Genetic factors may thus contribute to how timing of HRT initiation influences women's brain aging trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Marie G de Lange
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Claudia Barth
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tobias Kaufmann
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ivan I Maximov
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dennis van der Meer
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ingrid Agartz
- NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Psychiatry, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.,KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lars T Westlye
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, & Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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26
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Kling JM, Miller VM, Tosakulwong N, Lesnick T, Kantarci K. Associations of pituitary-ovarian hormones and white matter hyperintensities in recently menopausal women using hormone therapy. Menopause 2020; 27:872-878. [PMID: 32520900 PMCID: PMC7678409 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000001557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Little is known about how menopausal hormone treatment (HT) may influence the development of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in the brain. This study evaluated the associations of changes in levels of pituitary-ovarian hormones during HT and changes in WMH. METHODS Women (n = 78 adherent to treatment) enrolled in the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging, and blood collection before and after 48 months of randomization to 0.45 mg/d oral conjugated equine estrogen (oCEE) daily, 50 μg/d transdermal 17β estradiol (tE2), or placebo pills and patches. Women in the active treatment groups also received oral 200 mg/d micronized progesterone the first 12 days of the month. Estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in serum by high sensitivity liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry at baseline and following 48 months of HT. Longitudinal change in WMH volume was determined from fluid-attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance imaging using a semiautomated image segmentation algorithm. RESULTS Serum levels of FSH, LH, E1, or E2 did not associate with WMH volume at baseline. After 48 months of treatment, smaller increases in WMH associated with decreases in FSH from baseline in the tE2 group and increases in E1 in both tE2 and oCEE groups. Changes in LH did not associate with changes in WMH in any group. CONCLUSIONS Circulating levels of pituitary-ovarian hormones associate with changes in WMH volume in recently menopausal women using HT. Whether these relationships would be influenced by different doses of tE2 or oCEE remains to be determined. : Video Summary:http://links.lww.com/MENO/A590.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana M Kling
- Division of Women's Health Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, 13737 North 92nd Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
| | - Virginia M Miller
- Departments of Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | | | - Timothy Lesnick
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
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27
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Barth C, de Lange AMG. Towards an understanding of women's brain aging: the immunology of pregnancy and menopause. Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 58:100850. [PMID: 32504632 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Women are at significantly greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and show higher prevalence of autoimmune conditions relative to men. Women's brain health is historically understudied, and little is therefore known about the mechanisms underlying epidemiological sex differences in neurodegenerative diseases, and how female-specific factors may influence women's brain health across the lifespan. In this review, we summarize recent studies on the immunology of pregnancy and menopause, emphasizing that these major immunoendocrine transition phases may play a critical part in women's brain aging trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Barth
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Ann-Marie G de Lange
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
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28
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Abstract
Objective: Recent evidence suggests that early or induced menopause increases the risk for cognitive impairment and dementia. Given the potential for different cognitive outcomes due to menopause types, it is important that present research on menopause and cognition distinguishes between types. The aim of this project was to determine to what extent research looking at cognition in postmenopausal women published in one year, 2016, accounted for menopausal type. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsychINFO using keywords and MeSH terms for menopause and cognition. We included any research paper reporting a cognitive outcome measure in a menopausal human population. Differentiation between the types of menopause was defined by four categories: undifferentiated, demographic differentiation (menopause type reported but not analyzed), partial differentiation (some but not all types analyzed), and full differentiation (menopause types factored into analysis, or recruitment of only one type). Results: Fifty research articles were found and analyzed. Differentiation was distributed as follows: undifferentiated, 38% (19 articles); demographic differentiation, 16% (8); partial differentiation, 28% (14); and full differentiation, 18% (9). Conclusions: This review revealed that although some clinical studies differentiated between the many menopauses, most did not. This may limit their relevance to clinical practice. We found that when menopause types are distinguished, the differing cognitive outcomes of each type are clarified, yielding the strongest evidence, which in turn will be able to inform best clinical practice for treating all women.
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29
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Beltz AM, Moser JS. Ovarian hormones: a long overlooked but critical contributor to cognitive brain structures and function. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2020; 1464:156-180. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adriene M. Beltz
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
| | - Jason S. Moser
- Department of PsychologyMichigan State University East Lansing Michigan
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30
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Yare K, Woodward M. Hormone Therapy and Effects on Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease in Postmenopausal Women: Importance of Nomenclature. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 73:23-37. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-190896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Katrine Yare
- Austin Health, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael Woodward
- Austin Health, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, Victoria, Australia
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31
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Miller VM, Jayachandran M, Barnes JN, Mielke MM, Kantarci K, Rocca WA. Risk factors of neurovascular ageing in women. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12777. [PMID: 31397036 PMCID: PMC6982564 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Biological sex and changes in sex hormones throughout life influence all aspects of health and disease. In women, changes in sex hormonal status reflect ovarian function, pregnancy and the use of exogenous hormonal treatments. Longitudinal data from defined cohorts of women will help to identify mechanisms by which the hormonal milieu contributes to cerebrovascular ageing, brain structure and ultimately cognition. This review summarises the phenotypes of three cohorts of women identified through the medical records-linkage system of the Rochester Epidemiology Project and the Mayo Clinic Specialized Center of Research Excellence (SCORE) on Sex Differences: (i) menopausal women with histories of normotensive or hypertensive pregnancies; (ii) women who had bilateral oophorectomy ≤45 years of age; and (iii) women who experienced natural menopause and used menopausal hormone treatments for 4 years. Data from these cohorts will influence the design of follow-up studies concerning how sex hormonal status affects neurovascular ageing in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia M. Miller
- Departments of Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical EngineeringMayo ClinicRochesterMNUSA
| | - Muthuvel Jayachandran
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical EngineeringMayo ClinicRochesterMNUSA
- Division of Nephrology and Hematology ResearchDepartment of Internal MedicineMayo ClinicRochesterMNUSA
| | - Jill N. Barnes
- Department of KinesiologyUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWIUSA
| | - Michelle M. Mielke
- Division of EpidemiologyDepartment of Health Sciences Research and Department of NeurologyMayo ClinicRochesterMNUSA
| | | | - Walter A. Rocca
- Division of EpidemiologyDepartment of Health Sciences Research and Department of NeurologyMayo ClinicRochesterMNUSA
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32
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Files J, Kling JM. Transdermal delivery of bioidentical estrogen in menopausal hormone therapy: a clinical review. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2019; 17:543-549. [PMID: 31795776 DOI: 10.1080/17425247.2020.1700949] [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] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: The history of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) use has evolved over the years based on the influence of many factors, including availability and safety related to formulation and route of estrogen products. Given unexpected findings from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) in the early 2000's that used oral conjugated equine estrogen, the desire for and research supporting transdermal estradiol products grew. Transdermal estrogen is now a popular and commonly used formulation for treating menopausal symptoms. Many FDA approved products are available and preferred to custom compounded bioidentical products given superior consistency and safety standards.Areas covered: This review explores the history of transdermal estrogen products, as well as their pharmacodynamics. It also includes a detailed exploration of the advantages and disadvantages of different estrogen formulations with a focus on clinically useful information.Expert opinion: FDA approved transdermal estradiol products are the preferred formulation and route for HT, along with a progestogen for women with a uterus, given their efficacy and superior safety profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Files
- Division of Women's Health Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Juliana M Kling
- Division of Women's Health Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
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33
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Kling JM, Dowling NM, Bimonte-Nelson HA, Gleason CE, Kantarci K, Manson JE, Taylor HS, Brinton EA, Lobo RA, Cedars MI, Pal L, Neal-Perry G, Naftolin F, Harman SM, Miller VM. Impact of menopausal hormone formulations on pituitary-ovarian regulatory feedback. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2019; 317:R912-R920. [PMID: 31663769 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00234.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Changes in pituitary-ovarian hormones across the menopausal transition have multiple physiological consequences. However, little is known about how the major types of postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) affect pituitary-ovarian hormonal relationships. This study evaluated these relationships in recently menopausal women (52.45 ± 2.49 yr of age) in the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS) who were compliant to randomized, double-blinded treatment with oral conjugated equine estrogen (o-CEE; n = 109), transdermal 17β-estradiol (t-E2; n = 107), or placebo (n = 146). Androstenedione, testosterone, 17β-estradiol, estrone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in serum before (baseline) and 48 mo after randomization to treatment. Descriptive summaries of hormone levels were performed, and multiple regression analyses were used to examine the effects of o-CEE, t-E2, and placebo on these hormone levels at 48 mo, adjusting for baseline levels. A network analysis examined the covariance of changes in hormone levels over the 48 mo within treatment groups. As expected, at 48 mo of treatment, hormone levels differed between women in the two active treatment groups compared with placebo, and network analysis indicated stronger relationships among hormone levels in the t-E2 and o-CEE groups compared with placebo. Associations among testosterone, 17β-estradiol, FSH, and LH differed between the o-CEE group compared with t-E2 and placebo groups. Thus, two common HT regimens differentially alter pituitary-ovarian hormone levels, altering feedback cycles and interhormonal associations in recently menopausal women. These interactions provide the basis for future studies investigating the impact of hormonal modulation of aging, including cognitive decline in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana M Kling
- Division of Women's Health Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona
| | - N Maritza Dowling
- Department of Acute and Chronic Care, School of Nursing, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, D.C
| | - Heather A Bimonte-Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.,Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Carey E Gleason
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Madison Veterans Affairs GRECC, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Kejal Kantarci
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - JoAnn E Manson
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hugh S Taylor
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Rogerio A Lobo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - Marcelle I Cedars
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Lubna Pal
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Genevieve Neal-Perry
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Frederick Naftolin
- Reproductive Biology Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University, New York, New York
| | - S Mitchell Harman
- The Kronos Longevity Research Institute, Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Virginia M Miller
- Departments of Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
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34
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Miller VM, Naftolin F, Asthana S, Black DM, Brinton EA, Budoff MJ, Cedars MI, Dowling NM, Gleason CE, Hodis HN, Jayachandran M, Kantarci K, Lobo RA, Manson JE, Pal L, Santoro NF, Taylor HS, Harman SM. The Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS): what have we learned? Menopause 2019; 26:1071-1084. [PMID: 31453973 PMCID: PMC6738629 DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000001326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS) was designed to address gaps in understanding the effects of timely menopausal hormone treatments (HT) on cardiovascular health and other effects of menopause after the premature termination of the Women's Health Initiative. METHOD The KEEPS was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to test the hypothesis that initiation of HT (oral conjugated equine estrogens [o-CEE] or transdermal 17β-estradiol [t-E2]) in healthy, recently postmenopausal women (n = 727) would slow the progression of atherosclerosis as measured by changes in carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT). RESULTS After 4 years, neither HT affected the rate of increase in CIMT. There was a trend for reduced accumulation of coronary artery calcium with o-CEE. There were no severe adverse effects, including venous thrombosis. Several ancillary studies demonstrated a positive effect on mood with o-CEE, and reduced hot flashes, improved sleep, and maintenance of bone mineral density with both treatments. Sexual function improved with t-E2. There were no significant effects of either treatment on cognition, breast pain, or skin wrinkling. Variants of genes associated with estrogen metabolism influenced the age of menopause and variability in effects of the HT on CIMT. Platelet activation associated with the development of white matter hyperintensities in the brain. CONCLUSIONS KEEPS and its ancillary studies have supported the value and safety of the use of HT in recently postmenopausal women and provide a perspective for future research to optimize HT and health of postmenopausal women. The KEEPS continuation study continues to pursue these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia M. Miller
- Departments of Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Fredrick Naftolin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Sanjay Asthana
- Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and the Geriatric Research, Madison, WI
| | - Dennis M. Black
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | | | - Matthew J. Budoff
- Department of Medicine, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-University of California Los Angeles, Torrance, CA
| | - Marcelle I. Cedars
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - N. Maritza Dowling
- Departments of Acute and Chronic Care, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, George Washington University School of Nursing and Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC
| | - Carey E. Gleason
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and the William S. Middleton Memorial VA, Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Madison, WI
| | - Howard N. Hodis
- Atherosclerosis Research Unit, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Muthuvel Jayachandran
- Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Division of Hematology Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | | | - Rogerio A. Lobo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - JoAnn E. Manson
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Lubna Pal
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Nanette F. Santoro
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO
| | - Hugh S. Taylor
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
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Abstract
This article reviews the role of endogenous estrogen in neural and cognitive processing, followed by an examination of longitudinal cognitive data captured in various stages of the menopausal transition. The remaining text reviews the contradictory results from major hormone therapy trials to date, evidence for the "timing hypothesis," and closes with recommendations for future research and for practicing clinicians.
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Frizell B, Dumas JA. Examining the Relationship Between Neurosteroids, Cognition, and Menopause With Neuroimaging Methods. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2018; 20:96. [PMID: 30221332 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-018-0963-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Previous literature has shown inconsistent findings regarding the effects of neurosteroids on the brain in postmenopausal women. The goal of this paper is to examine how and whether advances in neuroimaging have helped elucidate the relationship between the withdrawal of and/or treatment with neurosteroids and cognition at menopause. RECENT FINDINGS Neuroimaging techniques such as structural and functional MRI have been used in recent studies to examine the relationship between neurosteroids and brain structure and functioning. However, the recent literature shows that different formulations of postmenopausal hormones given at different times, through different routes of administration, and in different combinations with progestins result in a variety of relationships with the brain outcomes. We suggest that still further research is needed to understand how the structural changes resulting from estrogen withdrawal or therapy at menopause can influence cognitive functioning. However, imaging studies are time-, resource-, and expertise-intensive. We believe that this information will help uncover the mechanisms and relationships that can aid in the explanation of the individual differences in the effects of menopause on the brain as well as how this menopause-related hormone change influences risk for pathological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baillie Frizell
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Robert Larner M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, 1 South Prospect St, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA
| | - Julie A Dumas
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Robert Larner M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, 1 South Prospect St, Burlington, VT, 05401, USA.
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Brinton RD. Neuroendocrinology: Oestrogen therapy affects brain structure but not function. Nat Rev Neurol 2018; 12:561-2. [PMID: 27677967 PMCID: PMC10128623 DOI: 10.1038/nrneurol.2016.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Diaz Brinton
- University of Arizona Center for Innovation in Brain Science, College of Medicine, 1501 North Campbell Avenue, P.O. BOX 245126, Tucson, Arizona 85724-5126, USA
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Kantarci K, Tosakulwong N, Lesnick TG, Zuk SM, Lowe VJ, Fields JA, Gunter JL, Senjem ML, Settell ML, Gleason CE, Shuster LT, Bailey KR, Dowling NM, Asthana S, Jack CR, Rocca WA, Miller VM. Brain structure and cognition 3 years after the end of an early menopausal hormone therapy trial. Neurology 2018; 90:e1404-e1412. [PMID: 29661902 PMCID: PMC5902783 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000005325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The effects of 2 frequently used formulations of menopausal hormone therapy (mHT) on brain structure and cognition were investigated 3 years after the end of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial in recently menopausal women with good cardiovascular health. METHODS Participants (aged 42-56 years; 5-36 months past menopause) were randomized to one of the following: 0.45 mg/d oral conjugated equine estrogen (oCEE); 50 μg/d transdermal 17β-estradiol (tE2); or placebo pills and patch for 4 years. Oral progesterone (200 mg/d) was given to mHT groups for 12 days each month. MRIs were performed at baseline, at the end of 4 years of mHT, and 3 years after the end of mHT (n = 75). A subset of participants also underwent Pittsburgh compound B-PET (n = 68). RESULTS Ventricular volumes increased more in the oCEE group compared to placebo during the 4 years of mHT, but the increase in ventricular volumes was not different from placebo 3 years after the discontinuation of mHT. Increase in white matter hyperintensity volume was similar in the oCEE and tE2 groups, but it was statistically significantly greater than placebo only in the oCEE group. The longitudinal decline in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex volumes was less in the tE2 group compared to placebo, which correlated with lower cortical Pittsburgh compound B uptake. Rates of global cognitive change in mHT groups were not different from placebo. CONCLUSIONS The effects of oCEE on global brain structure during mHT subside after oCEE discontinuation but white matter hyperintensities continue to increase. The relative preservation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortical volume in the tE2 group over 7 years indicates that mHT may have long-term effects on the brain. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE This study provides Class III evidence that the rates of change in global brain volumes and cognitive function in recently menopausal women receiving mHT (tE2 or oCEE) were not significantly different from women receiving placebo, as measured 3 years after exposure to mHT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejal Kantarci
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC.
| | - Nirubol Tosakulwong
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Timothy G Lesnick
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Samantha M Zuk
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Val J Lowe
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Julie A Fields
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Jeffrey L Gunter
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Matthew L Senjem
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Megan L Settell
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Carey E Gleason
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Lynne T Shuster
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Kent R Bailey
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - N Maritza Dowling
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Sanjay Asthana
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Clifford R Jack
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Walter A Rocca
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Virginia M Miller
- From the Departments of Radiology (K.K., S.M.Z., V.J.L., J.L.G., M.L. Senjem, M.L. Settell, C.R.J.), Health Sciences Research (N.T., T.G.L., K.R.B., W.A.R.), Psychology and Psychiatry (J.A.F.), Internal Medicine (L.T.S.), Neurology (W.A.R.), and Surgery and Physiology and Biomedical Engineering (V.M.M.), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Department of Medicine (C.E.G., S.A.), School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, William S. Middleton Memorial, Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI; and Department of Biostatistics (N.M.D.), George Washington University, Washington, DC
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Cintron D, Beckman JP, Bailey KR, Lahr BD, Jayachandran M, Miller VM. Plasma orexin A levels in recently menopausal women during and 3 years following use of hormone therapy. Maturitas 2017; 99:59-65. [PMID: 28364870 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Alterations in sleep quality and metabolism during menopause are improved by menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). The mechanisms mediating these effects remain unclear. Orexin A (OxA) is a neuro-peptide that regulates sleep/wakefulness, food intake and metabolism. This study examined changes in plasma OxA levels during and after treatment in women from the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS). METHODS KEEPS randomized women within three years of menopause to: oral conjugated equine estrogen (o-CEE, 0.45mg/day), transdermal 17β estradiol (t-E2, 50μg/day), or placebo pills and patches for four years. Plasma OxA levels were measured by enzyme immunoassays in fasting blood samples collected annually from KEEPS participants at Mayo Clinic during and three years after MHT. Changes in menopausal symptoms and plasma OxA levels were assessed for treatment differences. RESULTS During treatment, OxA levels increased more in women randomized to o-CEE compared with the other groups. Women randomized to either form of MHT demonstrated smaller increases in BMI than those on placebo. Insomnia severity decreased similarly among treatment groups. However, neither changes in sleep nor changes in BMI correlated with changes in plasma OxA levels. Changes in waist circumference correlated positively with changes in plasma OxA levels three years after discontinuation of study treatments. CONCLUSIONS Although OxA levels increased only in women randomized to o-CEE, these changes did not correlate with changes in sleep quality or BMI. The modest correlation of OxA levels with waist circumference once study treatments were discontinued suggests that OxA may be modulated through multiple intermediary pathways affected by metabolites of 17β-estradiol. Clinical Trial Registration for KEEPS: NCT00154180.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dahima Cintron
- Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - John P Beckman
- Biology Department, St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, United States
| | - Kent R Bailey
- Department of Health Sciences Research (Divisions of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States; Department of Health Sciences Research (Divisions of Biomedical Statistics and Epidemiology), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Brian D Lahr
- Department of Health Sciences Research (Divisions of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States; Department of Health Sciences Research (Divisions of Biomedical Statistics and Epidemiology), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Muthuvel Jayachandran
- Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States; Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Virginia M Miller
- Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States; Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.
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Marjoribanks J, Farquhar C, Roberts H, Lethaby A, Lee J. Long-term hormone therapy for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2017; 1:CD004143. [PMID: 28093732 PMCID: PMC6465148 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd004143.pub5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hormone therapy (HT) is widely provided for control of menopausal symptoms and has been used for the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and dementia in older women. This is an updated version of a Cochrane review first published in 2005. OBJECTIVES: To assess effects of long-term HT (at least 1 year's duration) on mortality, cardiovascular outcomes, cancer, gallbladder disease, fracture and cognition in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women during and after cessation of treatment. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the following databases to September 2016: Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO. We searched the registers of ongoing trials and reference lists provided in previous studies and systematic reviews. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised double-blinded studies of HT versus placebo, taken for at least 1 year by perimenopausal or postmenopausal women. HT included oestrogens, with or without progestogens, via the oral, transdermal, subcutaneous or intranasal route. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected studies, assessed risk of bias and extracted data. We calculated risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous data and mean differences (MDs) for continuous data, along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We assessed the quality of the evidence by using GRADE methods. MAIN RESULTS: We included 22 studies involving 43,637 women. We derived nearly 70% of the data from two well-conducted studies (HERS 1998; WHI 1998). Most participants were postmenopausal American women with at least some degree of comorbidity, and mean participant age in most studies was over 60 years. None of the studies focused on perimenopausal women.In relatively healthy postmenopausal women (i.e. generally fit, without overt disease), combined continuous HT increased the risk of a coronary event (after 1 year's use: from 2 per 1000 to between 3 and 7 per 1000), venous thromboembolism (after 1 year's use: from 2 per 1000 to between 4 and 11 per 1000), stroke (after 3 years' use: from 6 per 1000 to between 6 and 12 per 1000), breast cancer (after 5.6 years' use: from 19 per 1000 to between 20 and 30 per 1000), gallbladder disease (after 5.6 years' use: from 27 per 1000 to between 38 and 60 per 1000) and death from lung cancer (after 5.6 years' use plus 2.4 years' additional follow-up: from 5 per 1000 to between 6 and 13 per 1000).Oestrogen-only HT increased the risk of venous thromboembolism (after 1 to 2 years' use: from 2 per 1000 to 2 to 10 per 1000; after 7 years' use: from 16 per 1000 to 16 to 28 per 1000), stroke (after 7 years' use: from 24 per 1000 to between 25 and 40 per 1000) and gallbladder disease (after 7 years' use: from 27 per 1000 to between 38 and 60 per 1000) but reduced the risk of breast cancer (after 7 years' use: from 25 per 1000 to between 15 and 25 per 1000) and clinical fracture (after 7 years' use: from 141 per 1000 to between 92 and 113 per 1000) and did not increase the risk of coronary events at any follow-up time.Women over 65 years of age who were relatively healthy and taking continuous combined HT showed an increase in the incidence of dementia (after 4 years' use: from 9 per 1000 to 11 to 30 per 1000). Among women with cardiovascular disease, use of combined continuous HT significantly increased the risk of venous thromboembolism (at 1 year's use: from 3 per 1000 to between 3 and 29 per 1000). Women taking HT had a significantly decreased incidence of fracture with long-term use.Risk of fracture was the only outcome for which strong evidence showed clinical benefit derived from HT (after 5.6 years' use of combined HT: from 111 per 1000 to between 79 and 96 per 1000; after 7.1 years' use of oestrogen-only HT: from 141 per 1000 to between 92 and 113 per 1000). Researchers found no strong evidence that HT has a clinically meaningful impact on the incidence of colorectal cancer.One trial analysed subgroups of 2839 relatively healthy women 50 to 59 years of age who were taking combined continuous HT and 1637 who were taking oestrogen-only HT versus similar-sized placebo groups. The only significantly increased risk reported was for venous thromboembolism in women taking combined continuous HT: Their absolute risk remained low, at less than 1/500. However, other differences in risk cannot be excluded, as this study was not designed to have the power to detect differences between groups of women within 10 years of menopause.For most studies, risk of bias was low in most domains. The overall quality of evidence for the main comparisons was moderate. The main limitation in the quality of evidence was that only about 30% of women were 50 to 59 years old at baseline, which is the age at which women are most likely to consider HT for vasomotor symptoms. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Women with intolerable menopausal symptoms may wish to weigh the benefits of symptom relief against the small absolute risk of harm arising from short-term use of low-dose HT, provided they do not have specific contraindications. HT may be unsuitable for some women, including those at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, increased risk of thromboembolic disease (such as those with obesity or a history of venous thrombosis) or increased risk of some types of cancer (such as breast cancer, in women with a uterus). The risk of endometrial cancer among women with a uterus taking oestrogen-only HT is well documented.HT is not indicated for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease or dementia, nor for prevention of deterioration of cognitive function in postmenopausal women. Although HT is considered effective for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis, it is generally recommended as an option only for women at significant risk for whom non-oestrogen therapies are unsuitable. Data are insufficient for assessment of the risk of long-term HT use in perimenopausal women and in postmenopausal women younger than 50 years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Marjoribanks
- University of AucklandDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyPark RdGraftonAucklandNew Zealand1003
| | - Cindy Farquhar
- University of AucklandDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyPark RdGraftonAucklandNew Zealand1003
| | - Helen Roberts
- University of AucklandDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyPark RdGraftonAucklandNew Zealand1003
| | - Anne Lethaby
- University of AucklandDepartment of Obstetrics and GynaecologyPark RdGraftonAucklandNew Zealand1003
| | - Jasmine Lee
- Penang Medical College33‐8‐3, Sri York Condominium, Halaman YorkPenangMalaysia10450
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