INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 06 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 04:00 pm - 05:15 pm Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 06: Aging \| MCI \| Neurodegenerative Disease - PART 2 Final Abstract #103 Reproductive Health History Associates with Neurobehavioral Outcomes in Post-Menopausal Women Miwa Tucker, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Brandon Chan, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Julio Rojas, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Valentina Diaz, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Savannah Hallgarth, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Lana Callies, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Coty Chen, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Emily Paolillo, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Rowan Saloner, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Wei-Ming Watson, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Joel Kramer, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Kaitlin Casaletto, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States Category: Aging Keyword 1: aging (normal) Keyword 2: hormone replacement therapy Objective: Women have a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s dementia compared to men, and emerging research indicates that reproductive health history may influence women’s tau and neurobehavioral outcomes in late life. We examined how reproductive span and hormone replacement therapy use influenced cognition and depressive symptoms in post-menopausal women. Participants and Methods: 68 cognitively unimpaired, post-menopausal, cisgender women completed a reproductive health history questionnaire, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and cognitive measures of executive function, processing speed, and episodic memory which were summarized into a global cognition composite z score. Participants also completed a blood draw with plasma analyzed for phosphorylated-tau181 (ptau181) via Quanterix Simoa. Separate linear regressions examined how hormone replacement therapy use (yes/no) and reproductive health span (age of menopause – age of first menstrual period) associated with ptau181 and a global cognition composite, adjusting for age. To test whether reproductive health indicators moderate the relationship between ptau181 and cognition, we modeled their interaction (reproductive healthptau181), adjusting for age. Results:* Women who reported never taking HRT had significantly worse global cognition (β=-0.24; p=.04) and endorsed higher depressive symptoms compared to women who had taken HRT (β=0.34; p=.01). Further, longer reproductive spans associated with significantly better global cognitive performance (β=0.24; p=.04) but did not associate with depressive symptoms (β=0.03; p=.86). Neither HRT use nor reproductive span significantly associated with plasma ptau181 levels (Reproductive Span: β=0.02; p=.10, HRT: β=0.01; p=.93). However, there was a significant interaction between ptau181 and reproductive span (β=0.28; p=.01), but not HRT use (β=-0.01; p=.89), on global cognition. There was a main effect between higher ptau181 and worse global cognition that was significantly attenuated in women with longer reproductive health spans. Conclusions: Overall, our results suggest that post-menopausal women who had longer reproductive spans and used HRT show better cognitive outcomes, suggesting a beneficial association between longer sex steroid hormone exposure and cognition. Women who had a history of HRT use also reported fewer depressive symptoms; further research should examine how length and timing of hormone replacement therapy use associates with these neurobehavioral outcomes. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding cisgender women-specific health factors and sex differences when studying brain aging. Future studies examining reproductive health, including sex steroid hormone levels, alongside other modifiable risk factors (lifestyle, vascular health etc.) are needed to support more precise dementia prevention approaches for women.

Poster

02/15/2024
04:00 pm - 05:15 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 06: Aging | MCI | Neurodegenerative Disease - PART 2

Final Abstract #103

Reproductive Health History Associates with Neurobehavioral Outcomes in Post-Menopausal Women

Miwa Tucker, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Brandon Chan, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Julio Rojas, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Valentina Diaz, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Savannah Hallgarth, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Lana Callies, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Coty Chen, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Emily Paolillo, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Rowan Saloner, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Wei-Ming Watson, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Joel Kramer, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
Kaitlin Casaletto, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, United States

Category: Aging

Keyword 1: aging (normal)
Keyword 2: hormone replacement therapy

Objective:

Women have a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s dementia compared to men, and emerging research indicates that reproductive health history may influence women’s tau and neurobehavioral outcomes in late life. We examined how reproductive span and hormone replacement therapy use influenced cognition and depressive symptoms in post-menopausal women.

Participants and Methods:

68 cognitively unimpaired, post-menopausal, cisgender women completed a reproductive health history questionnaire, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and cognitive measures of executive function, processing speed, and episodic memory which were summarized into a global cognition composite z score. Participants also completed a blood draw with plasma analyzed for phosphorylated-tau181 (ptau181) via Quanterix Simoa. Separate linear regressions examined how hormone replacement therapy use (yes/no) and reproductive health span (age of menopause – age of first menstrual period) associated with ptau181 and a global cognition composite, adjusting for age. To test whether reproductive health indicators moderate the relationship between ptau181 and cognition, we modeled their interaction (reproductive health*ptau181), adjusting for age.

Results:

Women who reported never taking HRT had significantly worse global cognition (β=-0.24; p=.04) and endorsed higher depressive symptoms compared to women who had taken HRT (β=0.34; p=.01). Further, longer reproductive spans associated with significantly better global cognitive performance (β=0.24; p=.04) but did not associate with depressive symptoms (β=0.03; p=.86). Neither HRT use nor reproductive span significantly associated with plasma ptau181 levels (Reproductive Span: β=0.02; p=.10, HRT: β=0.01; p=.93). However, there was a significant interaction between ptau181 and reproductive span (β=0.28; p=.01), but not HRT use (β=-0.01; p=.89), on global cognition. There was a main effect between higher ptau181 and worse global cognition that was significantly attenuated in women with longer reproductive health spans.

Conclusions:

Overall, our results suggest that post-menopausal women who had longer reproductive spans and used HRT show better cognitive outcomes, suggesting a beneficial association between longer sex steroid hormone exposure and cognition. Women who had a history of HRT use also reported fewer depressive symptoms; further research should examine how length and timing of hormone replacement therapy use associates with these neurobehavioral outcomes. Our findings underscore the importance of understanding cisgender women-specific health factors and sex differences when studying brain aging. Future studies examining reproductive health, including sex steroid hormone levels, alongside other modifiable risk factors (lifestyle, vascular health etc.) are needed to support more precise dementia prevention approaches for women.