Endogenous Estradiol and Testosterone Levels Are Associated with Cognitive Performance in Older Women and Men

Wolf, Oliver T.; Kirschbaum, Clemens

doi:10.1006/hbeh.2002.1770

Cited by 218 publications

(161 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Support for this view derives from studies in young women, demonstrating specific changes in spatial and verbal abilities across the menstrual cycle (eg Hampson, 1990;Hausmann et al, 2000), as well as from studies in older postmenopausal women, which showed a rather consistent improvement in verbal memory function (immediate and delayed recall of words and stories) during estrogen replacement therapy (eg LeBlanc et al, 2001;Rice et al, 1997;Sherwin, 1999Sherwin, , 2002. A beneficial influence of estrogen on verbal memory was likewise suggested by studies comparing older women with high vs low basal levels of these hormones (Drake et al, 2000;Wolf and Kirschbaum, 2002). Estrogen therapy in postmenopausal women, in addition, was found to enhance functions of logical problem solving and verbal fluency (LeBlanc et al, 2001;Grodstein et al, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Acute Influences of Estrogen and Testosterone on Divergent and Convergent Thinking in Postmenopausal Women

Krug

Mölle

Dodt

et al. 2003

Neuropsychopharmacol

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Previous studies indicated an enhanced capability of divergent creative thinking in young women during the ovulatory phase, which expressed itself also by an increased dimensional complexity of ongoing electroencephalographic (EEG) activity. Considering the enhanced plasma levels of estrogen and testosterone characterizing the ovulatory phase, we tested whether short-term administration of estrogen or testosterone in postmenopausal women with constantly low levels of gonadal steroids induces similar changes in divergent thinking. In two placebo-controlled cross-over studies, healthy postmenopausal women (n ¼ 12, in each study, mean age 58 years, range 47-65 years) were treated transdermally over 3 days with estrogen and testosterone, respectively, at doses inducing plasma hormone concentrations comparable with those observed in young women around ovulation. Capabilities of divergent thought and convergent analytical thought, performance on motor perseveration, and verbal memory were examined. EEG activity was recorded while subjects performed on tasks of thinking and during mental relaxation. Estrogen impaired divergent thinking (po0.01) and enhanced convergent thinking, motor perseveration, and memory for the initial word list (po0.05 for all tests). In parallel, EEG dimensional complexity was reduced (po0.05). Overall, these changes indicate an estrogen-induced shift from a 'divergent' towards a more 'convergent' mode of processing. However, overall less consistent, effects of testosterone were opposite to those of estrogen. It increased performance on some of the divergent thinking tasks (po0.05), and tended to increase EEG dimensional complexity during divergent thinking. Data indicate a differential sensitivity of modes of thinking to short-term treatment with estrogen and testosterone in postmenopausal women.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Acute Influences of Estrogen and Testosterone on Divergent and Convergent Thinking in Postmenopausal Women

Krug

Mölle

Dodt

et al. 2003

Neuropsychopharmacol

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“…Androgen has been assumed to enhance spatial ability, because men typically outperform women in spatial tasks (Vandenberg and Kuse, 1978;Livesey and Intili, 1996). However, controversial relationships between testosterone and spatial ability have hitherto been documented; better performance in a spatial task has been associated with a higher testosterone level (Silverman et al, 1999;Liben et al, 2002), while high testosterone levels were not necessarily correlated with better performance in other studies (Kimura and Hampson, 1994;Neave et al, 1999;Wolf and Kirschbaum, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships between Salivary Estradiol and Components of Mental Rotation in Young Men

Kozaki

Yasukouchi

2008

J Physiol Anthropol

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Testosterone and estradiol levels were measured by saliva assays in 15 young men, and their relationships with different processes in a mental rotation task were elucidated. The estradiol level was positively correlated with reaction time; this effect was yielded by the slope of functions relating performance to angular disparity. These findings suggest that estrogen may inhibit the performance of a mental rotation task by affecting perception of the rotation process.

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“…[4][5][6] A few studies have addressed the role of the remaining circulating postmenopausal oestrogens in cognition, but were hampered by small sample sizes or improper adjustment for potential confounders. [7][8][9][10] Two studies reported protective effect of higher oestradiol levels on cognitive decline, 3,11 while a recent study found that higher serum oestradiol levels were associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease. 12 The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between circulating oestrogen measured with new more sensitive methods and sex hormone binding globulin levels and cognition in healthy postmenopausal women.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Endogenous oestrogens are related to cognition in healthy elderly women

Lebrun

Schouw

Jong

et al. 2005

Clinical Endocrinology

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SummaryObjective To investigate whether levels of endogenous hormones, in particular circulating oestrogens and SHBG, are associated with cognition in healthy postmenopausal women. Design Cross-sectional study. Patients Four hundred and two healthy postmenopausal women aged 50-74 years between 8 and 30 years after menopause, none taking oestrogen. Measurements Serum concentration of oestradiol, oestrone, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) determined by immunoassay. Cognition assessed using the mini-mental state examination questionnaire (MMSE). Results In this group, 149 individuals had a MMSE score < 27, while only 89 individuals had a MMSE score < 26, indicating a relatively healthy population with regard to cognitive ability. Cognition decreased with age, time since menopause and blood pressure, and was better with higher age at menopause. Serum oestrogens and SHBG levels were not related to age, age at menopause, or time since menopause, and oestrogen levels were positively associated with blood pressure. After adjustment for mean arterial pressure and SHBG, the frequency of mild cognitive impairment decreased significantly with higher oestradiol and oestrone serum levels [ORs Q5 vs. Q1: 0·41 (95% CI 0·20 -0·84) and 0·51 (95% CI 0·20 -0·99) for oestradiol and oestrone, respectively]. Conclusions Postmenopausal women with higher remaining circulating oestradiol levels appear less likely to suffer from cognitive impairment. This effect is independent of age at menopause, time since menopause and BMI. These findings support the hypothesis that endogenous oestrogens may protect against cognitive decline with ageing. An increase of life expectancy is not necessarily accompanied by a similar increase in healthy life span, and understanding determinants of successful ageing and in particular the role played by endocrine factors has gained increased interest.1 Women are likely to live one third of their lives in a state of relative oestrogen deficiency, which is held responsible for unfavourable long-term effects on bone metabolism, the cardiovascular system, and probably cognitive function culminating in dementia. There is growing evidence that oestrogens impact on memory, affect, and motor co-ordination in women, and they also appear to have a neuroprotective effect for Alzheimer's disease. 2,3 In contrast, results from studies with hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) have not supported a protective effect of exogenous oestrogens on cognitive functions. 4-6 A few studies have addressed the role of the remaining circulating postmenopausal oestrogens in cognition, but were hampered by small sample sizes or improper adjustment for potential confounders. 7-10 Two studies reported protective effect of higher oestradiol levels on cognitive decline, 3,11 while a recent study found that higher serum oestradiol levels were associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease.12

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Endogenous Estradiol and Testosterone Levels Are Associated with Cognitive Performance in Older Women and Men

Cited by 218 publications

References 45 publications

Acute Influences of Estrogen and Testosterone on Divergent and Convergent Thinking in Postmenopausal Women

Acute Influences of Estrogen and Testosterone on Divergent and Convergent Thinking in Postmenopausal Women

Relationships between Salivary Estradiol and Components of Mental Rotation in Young Men

Endogenous oestrogens are related to cognition in healthy elderly women

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