Athina Markou, Theodora Duka, Gordana M. Prelevic
Cognitive decline is well recognized during ageing but is often accelerated in women after menopause. Studies have shown that there are significant gender differences in brain ageing with significantly greater changes in brain structure, function and metabolism between females and males. Estrogens exert protective effects on neuronal cells in culture but the exact underlying …
Acromite Michael, Ziotopoulou Mary, Orlova Christine, Mantzoros Christos
Leptin is secreted mainly by the white adipose tissue but is also synthesized in several non-adipose tissue organs including the placenta. Serum leptin levels are increased in normal pregnancies and are higher in preeclamptic than normal pregnant women. There is, however, a lack of empirical evidence of an independent association of serum leptin levels and preeclamsia …
Lambrini Gouva, Agathocles Tsatsoulis
The effects of estrogens on reproductive tissues and climacteric symptoms are unambiguous. However, their effects on other tissues and, in particular, the cardiovascular system remain controversial. In general, premenopausal women are protected from coronary heart disease (CHD) compared with aged-matched men but this `female protection’ appears to be lost after menopause, suggesting beneficial effects of female sex hormones on the cardiovascular system…
Katerina Saltiki, Maria Alevizaki
Coronary heart disease is the main cause of death in women. Women during reproductive years are at lower risk for coronary heart disease than men but this difference tends to disappear after the menopause. In this article, we briefly review the clinical and experimental data which highlight the protective role of endogenous estrogens in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease …
George Vlotides, Roland Gaertner, Matthias W.A. Angstwurm
OBJECTIVE: Modulatory effects of estrogens on both the immune and the coagulation system are only partially understood. In severe infections high estrogen levels have been observed both in men and postmenopausal women and are associated with increased mortality. Monocyte-derived tissue factor (TF) expression can activate the coagulation system and worsen the course of severe infection…