Estrogen and Cognition In Postmenopausal Women

描述(由申请人提供)： 老年人口规模的不断扩大，以及最近关于使用雌激素和孕激素来缓解更年期症状的争议，使得我们迫切需要了解性腺类固醇对认知的影响。这项拟议的研究是基于雌激素和乙酰胆碱系统相互作用的神经生物学模型，以及这种相互作用对正常认知的影响。数据表明，雌激素可以减轻抗胆碱能药物挑战时认知测试的损害。到目前为止，黄体酮在这个模型中的作用还没有被阐明。为了了解雌激素和孕激素与胆碱能系统的相互作用，研究1将检查服用这些激素三个月的绝经后女性的表现，然后在抗胆碱能药物挑战期间进行认知测试。此外，为了了解荷尔蒙和抗胆碱能药物对大脑回路的影响，研究2将涉及在功能磁共振成像期间进行的药物挑战会议。因此，这项研究将提供有关性腺类固醇和胆碱能系统相互作用的知识，这种相互作用的神经解剖学，以及它们对绝经后妇女认知的影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The combination of the increasing size of the older adult population and the recent controversy over the administration of estrogen and progesterone to alleviate symptoms of menopause makes it imperative that we learn about the effects of gonadal steroids on cognition. The proposed research is based on a neurobiological model of the interaction of estrogen and the acetylcholine system and the effects of this interaction on normal cognition. Data indicate that estrogen attenuates the impairments on cognitive tests during anticholinergic drug challenge. Thus far, the role of progesterone in this model has not been elucidated. In order to understand the interaction of estrogen and progesterone with the cholinergic system, Study 1 will examine the performance of postmenopausal women who have taken these hormones for three months and then perform cognitive tests during anticholinergic drug challenges. Further, in an effort to learn about the brain circuitry affected by the hormones and anticholinergic drugs, Study 2 will involve drug challenge sessions conducted during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Thus, this research will provide knowledge about the interaction of gonadal steroids and the cholinergic system, the neuroanatomy of such interactions, and their influence on cognition in postmenopausal women.