Cortical activation during menopausal hot flashes.
OBJECTIVE
To determine regions of brain activation associated with menopausal hot flashes and sweating.


METHODS
Controlled laboratory study.


METHODS
University medical center.


METHODS
Symptomatic postmenopausal women and asymptomatic eumenorrheic women.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Brain activation measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging.


RESULTS
Significant (P<.001) areas of activation during hot flashes in symptomatic women included the insula and anterior cingulate cortex. Sweating in the eumenorrheic women was associated (P<.001) with activity in the anterior cingulate and superior frontal gyrus.


CONCLUSIONS
Activation of the insular cortex is associated with the "rush of heat" described during menopausal hot flashes. Thermoregulation in humans appears to be represented in a distributed cortico-subcortical network rather than in a single localized structure.
Freedman
Robert R
RR
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA. aa2613@wayne.edu
Benton
Mark D
MD
Genik
Richard J
RJ
Graydon
Francis X
FX
D000328:Adult; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008593:Menopause; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008875:Middle Aged; D013546:Sweating / Q000502:physiology