Estrogen therapy and cognition: a review of the cholinergic hypothesis.

摘要: The pros and cons of estrogen therapy for use in postmenopausal women continue to be a major topic debate women's health. Much this focuses on the potential benefits vs. harm brain risks cognitive impairment associated with aging Alzheimer's disease. Many animal human studies suggest that estrogens can have significant beneficial effects cognition reduce risk Alzheimer's-related dementia; however, others disagree. Important discoveries been made, hypotheses emerged may explain some inconsistencies. This review cholinergic hypothesis, specifically evidence are related interactions projections emanating from basal forebrain. These play an important role learning attentional processes, their function is known decline advanced age association Evidence suggests many neuronal plasticity performance or rely upon these projections; also effectiveness decreases time after loss ovarian function. We propose model which deficits forebrain contribute age-related changes response therapy. Based model, we cholinergic-enhancing drugs, used combination appropriate estrogen-containing drug regimen, viable therapeutic strategy older early mild decline.