title: Influences of hormone replacement therapy on olfactory and cognitive function in postmenopausal women.
abstract: Olfactory dysfunction can be an early sign of Alzheimer's disease. Since hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may protect against Alzheimer's disease in postmenopausal women, the question arises as to whether it also protects against olfactory dysfunction in such women. A total of three olfactory and 12 neurocognitive tests were administered to 432 healthy postmenopausal women with varied HRT histories. Serum levels of reproductive hormones were obtained for all subjects; APOE-ε4 haplotype was determined for 77 women. National Adult Reading Test and Odor Memory/Discrimination Test scores were positively influenced by HRT. Odor Identification and Odor Memory/Discrimination Test scores were lower for women who scored poorly on a delayed recall test, a surrogate for mild cognitive impairment. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Revised, as a Neuropsychological Instrument Spatial Span Backwards Test scores were higher in women receiving estrogen and progestin HRT and directly correlated with serum testosterone levels, the latter implying a positive effect of testosterone on spatial memory. APOE-ε4 was associated with poorer odor threshold test scores. These data suggest that HRT positively influences a limited number of olfactory and cognitive measures during menopause.
authors: Smell and Taste Center and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: richard.doty@uphs.upenn.edu.
authors: Richard L
authors: RL
authors: Doty
authors: Smell and Taste Center and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: Tourbier
authors: Smell and Taste Center and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Victoria
authors: V
authors: Ng
authors: Smell and Taste Center and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Neff
authors: Smell and Taste Center and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Armstrong
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Michelle
authors: M
authors: Battistini
authors: Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Mary D
authors: MD
authors: Sammel
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Gettes
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Dwight L
authors: DL
authors: Evans
authors: Smell and Taste Center and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Natasha
authors: N
authors: Mirza
authors: Smell and Taste Center and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Paul J
authors: PJ
authors: Moberg
authors: Smell and Taste Center and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Tim
authors: T
authors: Connolly
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors: Steven J
authors: SJ
authors: Sondheimer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4 / Q000235:genetics; D003071:Cognition; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012903:Smell; D065852:Spatial Memory; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014888:Wechsler Scales
chemical_list: D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D013739:Testosterone
keywords: Cognition; Endocrinology; Estrogen; Hormone replacement therapy; Menopause; Olfaction