Estrogen and its therapeutic potential as a cognitive enhancer

Clinical studies have found significant impairments in cognitive function in women following the menopause and with ageing. Decreased levels of the hormone estrogen have been linked to these deficits and recent studies have shown that estrogen markedly influences learning and memory processes. Thus estrogen-based therapies may help to alleviate cognitive decline in women. Our knowledge of how estrogen influences brain function is, however, limited. This project will investigate the effects of estrogen on a cellular event – AMPA receptor trafficking – that is key for learning and memory.