Additionally, brain MRIs of these midlife female mice demonstrated atrophy of the dorsal hippocampus, a brain area main to memory and knowing, and pathology revealed activation of microglia and astrocytes, with synaptic loss.
The Role of Estrogen Receptor Beta in Brain Health
Selective deletion of estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) in astrocytes, a supportive brain cell, had the same damaging results on the brain as hormonal agent loss, recommending that ERβ in astrocytes plays an essential role in maintaining hippocampal function during menopause.
To equate their findings to human beings, the scientists revealed that modifications in gene expression in the hippocampus of estrogen-deficient midlife female mice included irregular glucose usage, and expression of a key gene in this pathway likewise took place in post-menopausal ladies.
Prospective Treatments for Menopause-Induced Brain Changes
Aiming to prevent the unhealthy effects of estrogen shortage at midlife, mice treated with an ERβ ligand had enhanced cognition and turnaround of the neuropathological changes observed in the dorsal hippocampus.
While more research study is needed to equate these findings into clinical applications for human patients, the study marks a considerable action towards understanding the brains reaction to hormone changes throughout menopause and uses expect potential treatments in the future..
Recommendation: “Estrogen receptor beta in astrocytes modulates cognitive function in mid-age female mice” by Noriko Itoh, Yuichiro Itoh, Cassandra E. Meyer, Timothy Takazo Suen, Diego Cortez-Delgado, Michelle Rivera Lomeli, Sophia Wendin, Sri Sanjana Somepalli, Lisa C. Golden, Allan MacKenzie-Graham and Rhonda R. Voskuhl, 28 September 2023, Nature Communications.DOI: 10.1038/ s41467-023-41723-7.
New research study links menopause to cognitive deficits and brain atrophy, emphasizing the function of estrogen receptor beta in astrocytes. Findings from female mice studies recommend possible treatments targeting ERβ for enhancing cognition and reversing brain modifications in menopause.
A current research study led by Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl, a neurologist at UCLA, has revealed significant insights into how menopause contributes to cognitive decline and brain shrinkage, pinpointing the crucial impact of estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) in astrocytes.
This research, performed utilizing female mice, determined the specific brain areas and mechanisms that drive the cognitive modifications observed throughout menopause.
Estrogen Loss and Cognitive Impairment: Insights from Animal Models
The research study found that loss of ovarian hormonal agents in female mice during midlife, but not at a more youthful age, induced cognitive disability. This exposed that both aging and loss of estrogen were important to cognitive deficits.