title: Hypothesis: multiple factors are associated with the lack of any beneficial effects of oestrogen-replacement therapy in the late postmenopausal stage.
abstract: 1. Epidemiological and clinical studies suggest that women may obtain cognitive benefits from oestrogen-replacement therapy (ERT) during menopause transition rather than in the post-menopausal stages. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be determined. 2. We propose that long-term oestrogen deficiency may result in abnormal distribution and localization of brain oestrogen receptors, brain mitochondrial dysfunction, septohippocampal cholinergic degeneration and reactive gliosis. These multiple pathogenic factors may account for the lack of any beneficial effects of ERT in post-menopausal women with or without Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China. mingx@njmu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Guang-Liang
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D005911:Gliosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000517:prevention & control; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000473:pathology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen