Estrogen receptor alpha and risk for cognitive impairment in postmenopausal women.
The estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) gene has been implicated in the process of cognitive impairment in elderly women. In a paired case-control study, we tested whether two ESR1 gene polymorphisms (the XbaI and PvuII sites) are risk factors for cognitive impairment as measured by the six-item Orientation-Memory-Concentration test in postmenopausal Danish women. Hormone replacement therapy, age and executive cognitive ability were examined as covariates for ESR1 gene effects on cognitive impairment. The XbaI polymorphism showed a marginal effect on cognitive abilities (P=0.054) when adjusted for executive cognitive ability. Using a dominant genetic model for the X allele, we found an elevated risk (executive cognitive ability adjusted P=0.033) for cognitive impairment. Hormone replacement therapy also had a borderline effect on cognitive ability (P=0.049) and this effect was reflected in executive cognitive ability. These data support that the ESR1 gene variants affect cognitive functioning in postmenopausal women.
Research Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Copenhagen University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
Line
L
Olsen
Henrik B
HB
Rasmussen
Thomas
T
Hansen
Yu Z
YZ
Bagger
László B
LB
Tankó
Gerong
G
Qin
Claus
C
Christiansen
Thomas
T
Werge
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000235:genetics*; D003718:Denmark; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000523:psychology; D011581:Psychological Tests
D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; C025580:endodeoxyribonuclease XBAI; C025630:CAGCTG-specific type II deoxyribonucleases; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific