Functional and Structural Impacts of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) on Brain Health
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine how polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) impacts overall brain health, such as cerebral blood flow (CBF), brain structure and connectivity, and cognitive performance. 45 reproductive aged (18-45 years) individuals with ovaries, with and without PCOS, will be enrolled to complete brain structure and CBF scans via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over 2 testing visits and can expect to be on study for approximately 5 hours over a 1 to 3 month period.
Description
Aim 1: To determine whether individuals with PCOS exhibit reduced CBF at global, lobe and regional brain levels. Aim 2: To assess whether individuals with PCOS have alterations in brain structure including grey and white volume, cortical thickness, or connectivity compared to controls. Aim 3: To evaluate whether individuals with PCOS demonstrate impairments in cognitive performance, including verbal fluency, memory, and processing speed, relative to controls. Aim 4: To characterize systemic immune cell states, circulating inflammatory and metabolic profiles, and epigenomic regulatory landsc…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–45 years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria (Participants with PCOS): * Rotterdam criteria demonstrating two out of the three criteria. These are: 1. Presence of clinical hyperandrogenism or biochemical hyperandrogenism 2. A history of irregular menstrual cycles 3. Presence of polycystic ovarian morphology on ultrasound Inclusion Criteria (Healthy Controls): * Regular menstrual cycles (not meeting criteria for irregular cycles above) * No diagnosis of PCOS * Controls may have isolated hirsutism or polycystic ovaries on ultrasound as long as they do not meet Rotterdam criteria for PCOS Exclusion Criteria: *…
Interventions
- DeviceMRI Visit
MRI visit will take approximately 1.5 hour (55-60 minutes in MRI) and will involve structural scans of the brain, and scans at rest and while performing cognitive tasks.
- OtherLaboratory Visit
DEXA scan for obtaining body composition, NIH toolbox to assess cognitive test, and optional graded exercise test (GXT).
Location
- University of WisconsinMadison, Wisconsin