Altered Sexual Response-Related Functional Connectivity and Morphometric Changes Influenced by Sex Hormones across Menopausal Status

Abstract

Our study retrospectively investigated differential patterns of the functional connectivity (FC) of core brain regions synchronous with morphometric changes associated with sexual dysfunction in menopausal women, and their correlations with sexual hormones. Twenty-three premenopausal women (mean age: 41.52 ± 7.38 years) and 21 menopausal women (mean age: 55.52 ± 2.80 years) underwent sex hormone level measurements with high-resolution T1 and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during rest, neutral, and sexual arousal conditions. Analysis of covariance adjusted for age was used to compare the FC and gray matter (GM) volume between the two groups. Menopausal women showed lower GM volumes in the superior frontal gyrus (SFG), superior temporal pole, parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), hippocampus (Hip), amygdala (Amg), and cerebellum (Cb) compared to premenopausal women (p < 0.05). In addition, compared to premenopausal women, menopausal women showed decreased FC of seed regions involved in the SFG, frontal eye fields, and Amg, as well as target regions involved in the PHG, Hip, inferior frontal gyrus, Cb, and vermis (p < 0.005). Furthermore, the FC between the right Amg and right Cb and between the left Amg and right Cb during sexual arousal in both groups was positively correlated with total estrogen and estradiol levels, respectively (p < 0.01). The GM volume values in the right Amg and right Cb were positively correlated with total estrogen and estradiol levels (p < 0.05). Our study demonstrated an association between menopause-related differential FC and GM volume variations and fluctuating sex hormones. Our findings highlight that overlapping brain regions with functional alterations and morphometric changes are closely linked with menopausal symptom-related decreases in sexual arousal and hormone levels.