Language performance in postmenopausal women with and without hormone therapy and men. (December 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lee, Grace J; Curiel, Ashley R; Miller, Karen J; Amano, Stacy; Gorsuch, Richard; Small, Gary W
• Is Part Of: Aging health. Volume 8:Number 6(2012)
• Page Start: 625
• Page End: 632
• Publication Date: 2012-12
• Subjects: cognitive decline -- estrogen -- hormone therapy -- language functioning -- postmenopausal women; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; 618.97005
• DOI: 10.2217/ahe.12.66
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1745-509X

Abstract

Aims: In the current study, we explored the potential effects of hormone therapy (HT) on language functioning in healthy, postmenopausal women and compared them with men of similar ages.Materials & methods: Language functioning on tasks of verbal fluency and object naming was examined in 100 participants (mean age: 61.9 years; 33 HT users, 15 HT non-users and 52 men) at baseline and follow-up (mean follow-up time period: 2.6 years).Results: At baseline, men had higher composite language scores than HT users. However, HT users demonstrated more improvement over time compared with men, whereas HT non-users performed similarly to men, with no improvement over time. Longer duration of HT use was not associated with improved performance on language tests.Conclusion: These results suggest an association between HT use and better language ability in postmenopausal women.