title: Estrogen and the prefrontal cortex: towards a new understanding of estrogen's effects on executive functions in the menopause transition.
abstract: Midlife decline in cognition, specifically in areas of executive functioning, is a frequent concern for which menopausal women seek clinical intervention. The dependence of executive processes on prefrontal cortex function suggests estrogen effects on this brain region may be key in identifying the sources of this decline. Recent evidence from rodent, nonhuman primate, and human subject studies indicates the importance of considering interactions of estrogen with neurotransmitter systems, stress, genotype, and individual life events when determining the cognitive effects of menopause and estrogen therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shanmugan
authors.forename: C Neill
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Epperson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens