The removal of both ovaries before natural menopause occurs has been associated with reduced cognitive ability later in life. However, it remains unclear what pathological changes within the brain contribute to these symptoms. A recent study published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia examines white matter integrity after premenopausal bilateral oophorectomy (PBO) at various ages.
Study: Premenopausal bilateral oophorectomy and brain white matter brain integrity in later-life. Image Credit: Photoroyalty / Shutterstock.com Following PBO, there is a significant reduction in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels, all of which are produced by the ovaries.
This is accompanied by a rise in gonadotropins. Females consistently exhibit fractional anisotropy (FA) during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain white matter compared to males, which may be due to the effect of sex hormones rather than genetic sex. Women also exhibit higher white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volumes from midlife onwards.
Previous studies suggest that following PBO, women are more likely to develop dementia and cognitive impairment. However, the changes in the brain due to PBO are poorly understood, thus motivating the current neuroimaging study. All study participants were females who had undergone PBO at various ages.
More specifically, 22 women underwent PBO at 40 years of age or younger, whereas 43 and 39 women underwent PBO between 40-45 and 46-49 years of age, respectively. For th.
