Cognitive function changes and DTI-ALPS index in postmenopausal women.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Cognitive decline is a significant concern for postmenopausal women.
• Estrogen deficiency is linked to accelerated brain aging.
• The role of the brain's lymphatic-like system in estrogen-cognitive associations is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if the diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index mediates the relationship between estrogen levels and cognitive function in postmenopausal women.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 55 postmenopausal women.
• Utilized MANOVA, non-linear correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and machine learning algorithms.

Main Results:

• Postmenopausal women showed lower ALPS indices and poorer performance on reaction time tasks.
• The mean ALPS index fully mediated the link between estrogen and cognitive accuracy.
• Machine learning identified ALPS index and estrogen as key predictors of cognitive function.

Conclusions:

• Reduced brain lymphatic function, indicated by a lower ALPS index, is associated with cognitive decline in postmenopausal women.
• Estrogen levels mediate this relationship.
• The DTI-ALPS index may be a novel biomarker for cognitive health during menopause.