Scans Reveal Changes in Brain's Estrogen Activity During Menopause
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According to a new brain imaging study led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, the transition to menopause is marked by a progressively higher density of estrogen receptors (ER) on brain cells, a measure that remains elevated in women up to their mid-sixties.
The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
A central feature of menopause is the decline in the body’s production of estrogen. This leads to various bodily changes including the cessation of menstruation, but also to neuropsychiatric effects such as “brain fog,” depression, and anxiety.
In the study, the researchers scanned the brains of 54 healthy women aged 40-65 using PET with a tracer that binds to ERs. These receptors are found in multiple areas of the brain, especially in women, and mediate the many cognitive and behavioral effects of the female sex hormone estradiol, the most potent form of estrogen.
Scans comparing women at different menopausal stages revealed progressively higher ER density in several estrogen-regulated brain networks in the postmenopausal and perimenopausal groups compared to premenopausal controls.
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