Neuroprotective effects of estrogen therapy for cognitive and neurobiological profiles of monkey models of menopause

Abstract

Many postmenopausal women question whether to start or continue hormone therapy because of recent clinical trial negative results. However, evidence from other studies of postmenopausal women, and from studies in menopausal monkeys, indicate that estrogen has neurocognitive protective effects, particularly when therapy is initiated close to the time of menopause before neural systems become increasingly compromised with age. In this review, we present studies of menopausal women and female monkeys that support the concept that estrogen therapies protect both cognitive function and neurobiological processes.

Figure 1

[¹⁸F]Fluoroclebopride (FCP) binding in the striatum of an ovariectomized female monkey at baseline (before receiving estrogen therapy) and following three months of estrogen therapy. Binding of FCP is notably greater following estrogen therapy.