Evaluation of high-dose estrogen and high-dose estrogen plus methyltestosterone treatment on cognitive task performance in postmenopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the cognitive effects of high-dose oral estrogen alone or in combination with oral methyltestosterone in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Participants were tested with a randomized, double-blind design on the Identical Pictures, Cube Comparisons, Building Memory and Shape Memory tasks before and after 4 months of hormone treatment.


RESULTS
Women receiving estrogen and methyltestosterone maintained a steady level of performance on the Building Memory task, whereas those receiving estrogen alone showed a decrease in performance.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the addition of testosterone to high-dose estrogen replacement exerts a protective effect on memory performance in postmenopausal women.
Wisniewski
Amy B
AB
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md 21287, USA. amy@jhu.edu
Nguyen
Tam T
TT
Dobs
Adrian S
AS
D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008777:Methyltestosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D017698:Postmenopause; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D004967:Estrogens; D010919:Placebos; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; C084328:Estratab; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D008777:Methyltestosterone