Enhanced neuroactivation during verbal memory processing in postmenopausal women receiving short-term hormone therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of hormone therapy on brain activation patterns during verbal memory in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study was performed.


METHODS
A tertiary care university medical center.


METHODS
Ten healthy postmenopausal women (age range 56-60 years) were recruited from the local community.


METHODS
Women were randomized to the order they received combined hormone therapy, 5 microg of ethinyl E(2) and 1 mg of norethindrone acetate, and placebo. Volunteers received hormone therapy or placebo for 4 weeks, followed by a 1-month washout period, and then received the other treatment for 4 weeks. A functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed at the end of each 4-week treatment using a verbal memory task.


METHODS
Brain activation patterns were compared between hormone therapy and placebo.


RESULTS
Hormone therapy was associated with increased activation in the left middle/superior frontal cortex (BA 6,9), medial frontal cortex and dorsal anterior cingulate (BA 24,32), posterior cingulate (BA 6), and left inferior parietal cortex (BA 40) during memory encoding. All regions were significant with correction for multiple comparisons.


CONCLUSIONS
Hormone therapy increased neural activation in frontal and parietal areas in postmenopausal women during a verbal memory task.
Persad
Carol C
CC
Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Health Systems, 2101 Commonwealth, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA. cpersad@umich.edu
Zubieta
Jon-Kar
JK
Love
Tiffany
T
Wang
Heng
H
Tkaczyk
Anne
A
Smith
Yolanda R
YR
D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004522:Educational Status; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D007802:Language; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009640:Norethindrone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077563:Norethindrone Acetate; D010700:Phonetics; D010919:Placebos; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000523:psychology*; D013060:Speech
D010919:Placebos; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D004958:Estradiol; D000077563:Norethindrone Acetate; D009640:Norethindrone