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Short-term changes in endogenous estrogen levels and consumption of soy isoflavones affect working and verbal memory in young adult females
journal contribution
posted on 2008-01-01, 00:00 authored by F Islam, C Sparkes, S Roodenrys, Lee AstheimerLee AstheimerEstrogen is known to modulate certain cognitive functions, most notably improving working memory and verbal memory. Soy foods contain isoflavones, phytoestrogens structurally similar to estrogen that weakly bind to estrogen receptors.We investigated the effects of natural variations in estrogen levels and short-term dietary supplementation with soy isoflavones on cognitive function in 28 young women. Performance was examined across a range of cognitive tasks on three occasions during separate menstrual cycles: during a menses phase (low estrogen), during a luteal phase (highest estrogen), and once during a menses phase after a 3-day phytoestrogen-rich dietary intervention. Soy supplementation during menses led to an improvement in working memory and verbal memory. The menstrual cycle effects were mixed, with high estrogen improving performance on a verbal memory task but not on working memory. Our results suggest that soy phytoestrogens may improve working memory through estrogen-independent mechanisms.
History
Journal
Nutritional neuroscienceVolume
11Issue
6Pagination
251 - 262Publisher
Maney PublishingLocation
London, EnglandISSN
1028-415XeISSN
1476-8305Language
engPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2008, W. S. Maney and Son LtdUsage metrics
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