3 Tesla MRI detects accelerated hippocampal volume reduction in postmenopausal women

Purpose To clarify age‐related structural changes specific to hippocampal volume by hierarchizing according to age, gender, and menopausal status. Many studies report the neuroprotective effects of estrogen and age‐related brain volume changes; however, there are no studies regarding age‐related change specific to hippocampal volume in terms of age, gender, and menopausal status. Materials and Methods T1‐weighted MR images were obtained in 412 healthy adults divided into eight groups according to age and gender, to analyze brain volume change focusing on hippocampal volume. Results Voxel‐based morphometry (VBM) revealed significantly smaller gray matter volume in the hippocampus bilaterally in females aged in their fifties (51 of 59 females were at menopause) compared with females in their forties (3 of 46 females were at menopause). No significant difference was found, however, between female groups in their fifties versus sixties, or sixties versus seventies; or between male groups in their forties versus fifties, fifties versus sixties, or sixties versus seventies. In addition, VBM revealed significant hippocampal volume reduction bilaterally in all postmenopausal women compared with all premenopausal women. Conclusion The results of the current study suggest that the menopause may be associated with hippocampal volume reduction. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;33:48–53. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.