Journal article
Estradiol treatment and its interaction with the cholinergic system: Effects on cognitive function in healthy young women
CF Bartholomeusz, KA Wesnes, J Kulkarni, L Vitetta, RJ Croft, PJ Nathan
Hormones and Behavior | ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE | Published : 2008
Abstract
The steroid hormone estradiol has been shown to modulate cognitive function in both animals and humans, and although the exact mechanisms associated with these effects are unknown, interactions with the cholinergic system have been proposed. We examined the neurocognitive effects of short-term estradiol treatment and its interaction with the cholinergic system using the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine in healthy young women. Thirty-four participants (Mean age ± SD = 22.4 ± 4.4) completed baseline cognitive assessment and then received either 100 μg/day transdermal estradiol or transdermal placebo for 31 days. On days 28 and 31 of treatment, further cognitive assessment was perform..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund for fellowship support for Cali Bartholomeusz and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for fellowship support for Pradeep Nathan. We would also like to thank Susan Illic for performing medical examinations and all the nurses from the School of Integrative Medicine, Swinburne University who administered the scopolamine and placebo injections, in particular Susan Vitetta who kindly gave up her free time to help with the study.