Cognitive markers of dementia risk in middle-aged women with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy prior to menopause

• Oophorectomy prior to menopause is associated with late-life dementia. Memory decline may start within 6 months after oophorectomy in middle-aged women, suggested by lower verbal and working memory performance. Unknown is whether such changes persist beyond 6 months, and whether they are reversed by estradiol. Short-term benefits of estradiol on verbal memory following oophorectomy were observed in one study, but longer term effects remain unknown. In the present study, middle-aged BRCA1/2 mutation carriers with early oophorectomy at least 1 year prior to study onset were tested on verbal and working memory with results stratified by (1) current estradiol use (n = 22) or (2) no history of estradiol use (n = 24), and compared to age-matched premenopausal controls (n = 25). Both memory abilities were adversely affected by oophorectomy, but only working memory was maintained by estradiol. Estrogen metabolite levels correlated with working memory, suggesting a role for estradiol in preserving this ability. Memory decline appears to persist after early oophorectomy, particularly for women who do not take estradiol. (C) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Annan medicin och hälsovetenskap -- Gerontologi, medicinsk/hälsovetenskaplig inriktning (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Other Medical and Health Sciences -- Gerontology, specialising in Medical and Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Estradiol deprivation; Dementia risk; Estradiol; Working memory; Verbal memory; Oophorectomy; Surgical menopause

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)