title: Cognitive function in association with sex hormones in postmenopausal women.
abstract: Several studies have suggested gender differences in cognitive function, but data on the association between sex hormones and cognitive function are contradictory. The aim of our randomized double-blind study was to explore the possible relations between cognitive function and serum levels of sex hormones, oxytocin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in postmenopausal women. Two-hundred healthy postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to receive estrogen, testosterone or placebo treatment for 1 month. The associations of spatial ability, verbal fluency and verbal memory with serum levels of estradiol, testosterone, estradiol/testosterone ratio, androstanediol, oxytocin and IGF-I were analyzed. Spatial ability showed a negative correlation with serum estradiol, estradiol/testosterone ratio, oxytocin levels and a positive association with androstanediol levels. Verbal fluency displayed a negative relationship with serum levels of testosterone, IGF-I and a positive with estradiol/testosterone ratio. Verbal memory displayed a positive correlation to androstanediol. Data suggest that not only absolute levels of sex hormones but also the balance between estrogen and testosterone and their metabolites may be important for cognitive function in women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet/University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. ljiljana.kocoska-maras@karolinska.se
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kocoska-Maras
authors.forename: Angelique Flöter
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Rådestad
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Carlström
authors.forename: Torbjörn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bäckström
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: von Schoultz
authors.forename: Angelica Lindén
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hirschberg
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol / Q000097:blood; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000097:blood; D010919:Placebos; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D010919:Placebos; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D010121:Oxytocin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; C010792:testosterone undecanoate