Cognitive function effects of suppressing ovarian hormones in young women.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of a pharmacologically induced, temporary suppression of ovarian hormones on healthy young women's cognitive functioning.


METHODS
Sixteen healthy women with normal menstrual cycles completed the California Verbal Learning Test, a digit span test, and a verbal fluency test in the follicular phase of a normal menstrual cycle and a second time after four monthly injections of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist. Women were randomly assigned to complete a third testing either after resuming cycles in the follicular phase or after three more injections of the GnRH agonist and while wearing an estradiol patch. The control group consisted of 10 women who were tested three times in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycles.


RESULTS
Results showed no change in cognitive functioning across sessions or groups in women with suppressed ovarian function. Women who had the highest levels of menopausal symptoms when taking the GnRH agonist did not have significantly lower cognitive functioning.


CONCLUSIONS
This study did not find any effect of suppression in ovarian hormones on cognitive performance of young women.
Owens
Jane F
JF
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. owensjf@msx.upmc.edu
Matthews
Karen A
KA
Everson
Susan A
SA
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone