BCS 242 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Apolipoprotein E, Episodic Memory, Menopause
3 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Connection between menopause and cognition in women. Reproductive factors may influence cognitive aging: reproductive hormones (ie. , estrogen) have cns effects, puberty. Women who go thru puberty at later age have increased risk of ad. Suggests a shorter period of exposure to estrogen: parity. Women who don"t have kids show less cognitive decline. Higher number of pregnancies greater risk of ad, earlier onset. Significant drop in estrogen postpartum: menopause: cession of monthly fluctuation of hormones. Associated with low levels of estrogen in system. Later onset of menopause lower cognitive decline. Earlier onset later age of ad onset. Estrogen & cognitive function: estrogen actions in cns. Estrogen receptors are concentrated in hippocampus, pfc. Plays role in episodic memory, executive function. Increases cholinergic activity, antioxidant properties: circulation throughout brain affects other systems. Affects ach (memory), da (motor function), serotonin (mood/affect regulation) Across different stages of cycle, women excel at verbal tasks, worse on spatial tasks when estrogen is high: subtle differences.
