Abstract
Objective: To test the causal relationship between sex hormones and cognitive skills in postmenopausal women. We hypothesized that testosterone would decrease verbal memory and verbal fluency and increase spatial ability compared with a placebo. For estrogen, we conversely hypothesized that the treatment would increase verbal fluency and verbal memory and decrease spatial ability.
Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial.
Setting: Women's health clinical research unit at a university hospital.
Patient(s): Two-hundred healthy, naturally postmenopausal women aged 50-65 years.
Intervention(s): Randomization to 4 weeks' treatment with testosterone (testosterone undecanoate, 40 mg/day), estrogen (oral E2 2 mg/day) or placebo.
Main outcome measure(s): Comparisons in verbal fluency, verbal memory, and spatial ability between the three treatment groups.
Result(s): We found no significant effects of testosterone or estrogen on verbal fluency, verbal memory, or spatial ability.
Conclusion(s): Our results give no support for short-term testosterone or estrogen treatment having any substantial effect on verbal fluency, verbal memory, or spatial ability in healthy postmenopausal women. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.