Estrogen Increases Hippocampal Activity and Functional Connectivity in Postmenopausal Women

Sijia Gao¹, Ke Xu¹

Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) has been increasingly applied clinically to prevent perimenopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, and colon cancer. Recent researches also demonstrated ERT may have the benefit to improve the cognitive function and prevent hippocampus atrophy. Less is known, however, what the brain responses to estrogen would be in imaging domain. To better understand the neuronal protective mechanisms of estrogen, here we investigated the BOLD and functional connectivity responses induced by acute estrogen administration in postmenopausal women.