Hormone levels and cognitive function in postmenopausal midlife women

Abstract

Gonadal hormones may influence cognitive function. Postmenopausal midlife women in the populationbased Melbourne Women's Midlife Health Project cohort were administered a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests on two occasions two years apart. Participants (n=148, mean age 60 years) had undergone natural menopause and were not using hormone therapy. Estrone, total and free estradiol, and total and free testosterone levels were measured at time of the first testing. Principal component analysis identified four cognitive factors. In multiple linear regression analyses, better semantic memory performance was associated with higher total (p=0.02) and free (p=0.03) estradiol levels and a lower ratio of testosterone to estradiol (p=0.007). There were trends for associations between better verbal episodic memory and lower total testosterone (p=0.08) and lower testosterone/estradiol ratio (p=0.06). Lower free testosterone levels were associated with greater two-year improvement on verbal episodic memory (p=0.04); higher testosterone/estradiol predicted greater semantic memory improvement (p=0.03). In postmenopausal midlife women, endogenous estradiol and testosterone levels and the testosterone/estradiol ratio are associated with semantic memory and verbal episodic memory abilities.

Stress hormones, sleep deprivation and cognition in older adults

“…However, the excess of testosterone is also linked to adverse cognitive outcomes, as demonstrated in the study of Ryan et al a population of 148 women, where a relative androgen excess in midlife was negatively associated with performance on tasks of semantic and verbal episodic memory [59].…”

Sex differences in episodic memory in early midlife: impact of reproductive aging

“…15,32,33 In early postmenopause, greater endogenous estradiol has been associated with better cognitive performance in semantic memory. 34 Further, longer reproductive periods (indicating greater exposure to endogenous estrogens) are associated with better immediate and delayed verbal memory in mid-to-late life postmenopausal women. 35,36 A review of neuropsychological studies in women age >60 years found that higher estradiol levels were associated with better memory performance across multiple domains, including episodic and semantic memory.…”

Oestrogen Alpha-Receptor Variant and Two-Year Memory Decline in Midlife Australian Women

“…At baseline and 2-year follow-up testing, self-reported current hormone therapy, smoking status, weekly alcohol intake and mood (using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale [23]) were collected. Free oestradiol and testosterone were measured using fasting morning blood samples at the time of baseline testing as described elsewhere [24]. …”