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

• Published in: Neurobiology of aging 2020-10, Vol.94, p.1-6
• Main Authors: Gervais, Nicole J., Au, April, Almey, Anne, Duchesne, Annie, Gravelsins, Laura, Brown, Alana, Reuben, Rebekah, Baker-Sullivan, Elizabeth, Schwartz, Deborah H., Evans, Kelly, Bernardini, Marcus Q., Eisen, Andrea, Meschino, Wendy S., Foulkes, William D., Hampson, Elizabeth, Einstein, Gillian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dementia risk; Estradiol; Estradiol deprivation; Oophorectomy; Surgical menopause; Verbal memory; Working memory
• ISSN: 0197-4580; 1558-1497; 1558-1497
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.04.019

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. •Examined effects of bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy on memory in women with BRCA1/2.•Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy reduced verbal and working memory.•Estradiol therapy had no effect on verbal memory following salpingo-oophorectomy.•Estradiol therapy maintained working memory following salpingo-oophorectomy.•Estradiol levels correlated with working memory performance.