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Hippocampal Structure and Function in Healthy Postmenopausal Women
Haacker, Adeline L
Haacker, Adeline L
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Abstract
Cognitive decline typically occurs as people age, and it is important to investigate how menopause can influence this decline. Estrogen levels decrease during menopause, which can lead to episodic memory decline supported by the hippocampal region of the brain. To understand more about how menopause can exacerbate normal age-related cognitive decline, this study examined hippocampal volume, functional connectivity of the hippocampus, and episodic memory function in postmenopausal women to examine how the hippocampus may be influenced by the hormone changes during menopause. Using a data set of 118 cognitively normal postmenopausal women available in the Dumas lab, a median split was performed on years since menopause to create two groups based on the number of years since the final menstrual period. No relationships were found between years since menopause and hippocampal volume or hippocampal volume and episodic memory function. The functional connectivity analysis revealed an altered connection between the hippocampus and the cerebellum in the brain that may contribute to cognitive decline. This result contributed to the deepening understanding of the role of the cerebellum in memory function and highlighted this connection as a potential interest area for future studies in the cognitive neuroscience of menopause that may be influenced by continued aging after midlife and help in understanding neurological disease risk.
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2025-01-01
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Haacker__Adeline_Thesis_5_09_2025.pdf
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Biology