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Influence of estradiol on functional brain organization for working memory
Jane E Joseph1, Joshua E Swearingen, Christine R Corbly
1Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA. josep@musc.edu
Neuroimage
|October 12, 2011
Summary
Estradiol impacts working memory differently across brain hemispheres. High estradiol levels in the late follicular phase may impair left-hemisphere function but enhance right-hemisphere compensation for better performance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Working memory is crucial for cognition but declines with aging and disease.
- Estradiol, a key hormone, is known to influence cognitive functions.
- Understanding estradiol's neural mechanisms in working memory is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of estradiol on working memory.
- To examine the neural substrates of working memory using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
- To compare working memory performance and brain activation across different menstrual cycle phases.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used.
- Pre-menopausal women performed a verbal n-back task.
- Data were collected during the early follicular (EF) and late follicular (LF) phases.
Main Results:
- Estradiol showed differential associations with brain hemispheres.
- Increased left frontal activation in LF phase correlated with higher estradiol and poorer working memory.
- Increased right hemisphere activation in LF phase correlated with improved performance.
Conclusions:
- Estradiol may interfere with left-hemisphere working memory processing.
- Right hemisphere recruitment may compensate for estradiol-induced left-hemisphere interference.
- Estradiol's effects on cerebral asymmetries might modulate working memory performance.
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