Vascular Mechanisms for the Effects of Loss of Ovarian Hormone Function on Cognition in Women
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2017-09-15
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Complaints about memory and thinking are common in women as they go through menopause and
estrogen levels fall. The ovarian hormone estrogen is important for supporting normal
cognitive function, and changes in brain activity and function occur when estrogen levels are
decreased. Estrogen is also important for maintaining healthy blood vessels which also
support normal cognitive function. In Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, there
is significant damage to the blood vessels in the brain. This study will test whether changes
in brain activity and function with the loss of estrogen are related to changes in vascular
function. The investigators will measure vascular function using ultrasound, and brain
activity using MRI scans in women who are enrolled in the Females, Aging, Metabolism and
Exercise (FAME) study (NCT01712230). In the FAME study, healthy premenopausal women either
take a medication to decrease their estrogen levels, or a placebo. This sub-study may provide
new information about how estrogen affects vascular function and cognitive function, and lead
to new ways to prevent or delay cognitive impairment or dementia.