Trish Pruis

Behavioral Neuroscience

Pruis, T.A., Roalf, D.R., Janowsky, J.S.

Brain and hormonal basis of emotion in older women

Sex steroids affect the physiology of the emotional brain system.

There are estrogen receptors located in the amygdala, hippocampus, and

prefrontal cortex- all structures involved with emotional processing.

Our previous behavioral studies have shown that estrogen shifts

emotional responses in older women.  Older women without estrogen find

positive images more arousing than negative, while older women on

estrogen therapy find negative images more arousing than positive.

The brain basis of estrogen’s effects on emotion was examined in older

women aged 65-85, either using estrogen therapy (ET; n = 8) or not

(NONE; n =8).  We used behavioral measures (valence and arousal

ratings) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess

their emotional responses to negative, neutral, and positive images.

Both groups of women showed similar valence rating patterns (neg < neu

< pos); however, NONE women rated the images more positively over all

than ET women.   Both groups had similar arousal patterns, with

negative images rated more arousing than neutral or positive.

Preliminary fMRI data (n = 3/group) suggests that ET and NONE women

have different patterns of amygdala activity.  ET women had little

change in brain activity in response to negative and neutral images,

but a decrease in activity in response to positive images.  NONE women

showed little change in response to negative images, but an increase

in response to neutral and positive images.  This suggests that

estrogen modifies amygdala activity.  The relationship between the

amygdala and prefrontal cortex for emotion and aging will be

discussed.  

Research funded by R01 AG12611 and PHS Grant 5 M01 RR000334.