Sep
01
2006

Suppression Of Estrogen Affects Cognitive Function

Female patients with gynecological problems such as fibroids and endometriosis can be treated with leuprolide acetate depot (LAD) or Lupron. LAD suppresses ovarian function and decreases estrogen to the levels of postmenopause. In menopause estrogen levels show a natural drop. In this group the estrogen levels were chemically suppressed. The patients ranged in the ages 25 to 40 years of age-all of them well before the age of menopause. The researchers were able to observe the effects of estrogen on cognitive function without the brain changes associated with normal aging.
Dr. Barbara Sherwin, PhD, professor for psychology and obstetrics at Mc Gill University in Montreal stated that previous research has shown a connection between decreased estrogen and the deterioration of verbal memory. Taking estrogen during menopause can prevent this deterioration. The current study also showed a significant decrease in working memory and scores regarding mood in the women who are taking LAD.
Dr. Sherwin suggested also that some research points to a window of opportunity around the time of menopause where estrogen will protect.

Suppression Of Estrogen Affects Cognitive Function

Effects of estrogen (=E2) on the brain

But beyond that time, such as at the age of 65 or older, estrogen treatment does not provide these benefits. As shown in the Women’s Health Initiative study it may be detrimental.

Reference: The Medical Post, August, 22, 2006, page 45

Comment on Nov. 13, 2012:   There is a big difference between conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and replacement of hormones with bio-identical hormones. The former (HRT) is what was proven by the Women’s Health Initiative study to be detrimental to postmenopausal women; the latter (bio-identical hormone replacement) is what a lot of European women have done for decades and what has benefitted them tremendously without side-effects whatsoever. Inform yourself and read more about treatment of menopause under this link (Nethealthbook).

Last edited December 6, 2012

Oct
01
2002

Endometriosis Is A Cause Of Infertility, Even Without Scarring

When the lining of the womb grows into the Fallopian tubes, this can be a cause of scarring of the tubes and lead to infertility of the woman.

Up to this point in time medical science had no explanation for cases where the surgeon found only a few spots of endometriosis on the surface of the womb inside the abdominal cavity without any disease in the fallopian tubes. Dr.Ovrang Djahanbakhch and his coworkers from the The Royal London Hospital in London found that there is a factor contained in the abdominal fluid of women who have endometriosis (article published in the Lancet 2002;360:p.1221-1222). These investigators looked at fallopian tubes of hysterectomy samples (=wombs that were surgically removed) and studied the movement of the cells lining them under a special microscope.

Hair cells can be seen that are lining the Fallopian tubes and are normally responsible for the transport of the released egg at the time of ovulation. They found that when they added abdominal fluids from women who have endometriosis, the wave like pattern of these hair cells (=known as “ciliary movement”) came to almost a standstill. Abdominal fluids of women with no sign of endometriosis did not cause such a slowdown. This finding sheds important new information on our understanding of the nature of endometriosis and may some day lead to the development of new fertility drugs.

Endometriosis Is A Cause Of Infertility, Even Without Scarring

Endometriosis Is A Cause Of Infertility, Even Without Scarring

At this point the chemical factor from patients with endometriosis that is responsible for the slow-down of the normal ciliary movement has not yet been isolated. The authors will pursue this line of research further. Here are some links that are related to this topic:

Endometriosis: http://www.nethealthbook.com/articles/painfulperiods.php

Infertility: http://www.nethealthbook.com/articles/infertility.php

Last edited December 10, 2012