Hysterectomy can impair some types of memory in the short term following the surgery, according to a rat study published in Endocrinology.
Researchers led by Heather Bimonte-Nelson, PhD, Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz. Point out that one in three women in the U.S. undergo a hysterectomy by age 60, but few studies have looked at hysterectomy in a preclinical animal model and the cognitive effects of hysterectomy with and without ovarian conservation have not been fully explored in a systematic experimental context. “Given the large number of women who undergo variations in gynecological surgeries, it is essential to understand how ovarian morphology and function may be altered following hysterectomy, as well as to elucidate how hysterectomy with and without ovarian preservation relates to the trajectory of brain aging and cognitive decline,” the authors write.
A hysterectomy can cause some women to experience menopause, or the process a woman goes through that causes her monthly periods to end, earlier than they would have otherwise. The current view in the medical field is that the uterus has no function when it’s not in the pregnant state. “Specifically, we assessed serum hormone levels of ovarian-derived hormones and the gonadotropins and ovarian follicle morphology, as well as monitored estrous cyclicity and body weight changes, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the far-reaching impact that variations in gynecological surgeries have on the body’s reproductive anatomy, physiology, and function, and how these factors ultimately may lead to cognitive changes,” the authors write.
This study is the first of its kind to link the uterus to brain function by using a rat model of hysterectomy to show its effect on cognitive abilities, including memory and thinking skills.
“Our novel findings indicate that the nonpregnant uterus is not dormant and is in fact linked to brain function,” says the study’s senior author, “We studied several different menopause surgeries and found that a hysterectomy may impair short-term memory in rats.”
“It is essential to understand how ovarian morphology and function may be altered following hysterectomy, as well as to elucidate how hysterectomy with and without ovarian preservation relates to the trajectory of brain aging and cognitive decline.”
Researchers developed a rat model of hysterectomy to assess the effects of surgically removing the uterus on brain function. They found that surgical removal of the uterus alone can impair some types of memory in the short term, two months after surgery. Removing the ovaries alongside the uterus did not result in a memory impairment, indicating a unique negative effect of hysterectomy on memory, and suggesting that the uterus and ovaries are part of a system which communicates with the brain for functions such as cognition.
Based on their findings, the authors conclude: “Translationally, these findings are impactful in that they can inform clinical understandings of, and lead to additional human studies testing, the intricate connections between the brain and the female reproductive system. This will provide fundamental stepping stones to initiate further exploration into how common variations in gynecological surgery impact quality of life, as well as cognitive and brain aging, in women throughout their lifetimes.”
“We hope these basic science findings will lead to more attention around how different menopause surgeries might impact the brain and its functioning in women, ultimately impacting their quality of life,” Bimonte-Nelson says. “The overarching goal of our research is to promote and discover optimal health outcomes for women throughout their entire lifespan.”
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