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Examining the Relationship Between Neurosteroids, Cognition, and Menopause With Neuroimaging Methods

  • Reproductive Psychiatry and Women's Health (CN Epperson and L Hantsoo, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Psychiatry Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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.

Summary

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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Funding

Baillie Frizell received support from NIH R25 NS090623. Julie Dumas received support from NIH R01 AG050716.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 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

    Baillie Frizell & Julie A. Dumas

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  1. Baillie Frizell
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  2. Julie A. Dumas
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Correspondence to Julie A. Dumas.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Reproductive Psychiatry and Women’s Health

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Frizell, B., Dumas, J.A. Examining the Relationship Between Neurosteroids, Cognition, and Menopause With Neuroimaging Methods. Curr Psychiatry Rep 20, 96 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-018-0963-2

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