Menopausal Hormones and Sympathetic Activation

Impact of FSH and Estradiol on Sympathetic Function in Menopausal Women

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phases

Phase 4

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT07420218

Enrollment

Registered

2026-02-19

Start date

2026-09-01

Completion date

2030-12-31

Last updated

2026-03-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Perimenopausal Women

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to understand how changes in menopausal hormones like estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) impact sympathetic nervous system function. To do so, the investigators will use a medication to control the production of estradiol and FSH, and in some participants, add-back estradiol to isolate its effects. The investigators will measure sympathetic activation centrally (in the brain using MRI), peripherally in the nervous system, and also examine adrenergic receptor mediated control of vascular function.

Interventions

DRUGEstrogen

Estradiol patch (0.1mg) All women will use a GnRH antagonist for 8 days. Some women will receive an estradiol patch for to wear on days 3-8, whereas other women will receive a placebo patch to wear on days 3-8. Measurements of sympathetic activation will occur on days 6-8.

OTHERPlacebo

All women will use a GnRH antagonist for 8 days. Some women will receive an estradiol patch for to wear on days 3-8, whereas other women will receive a placebo patch to wear on days 3-8. Measurements of sympathetic activation will occur on days 6-8.

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

FEMALE

Age

40 Years to 58 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Perimenopausal (based on changes in menstrual cycle) * Ages 40-58 years

Exclusion criteria

* History of CVD, blood clots, stroke * History of Cancer * History of Liver or Kidney disease * History of Neurological disease * Diabetes * BMI\>35kg/m2 * Pregnant, planning on becoming pregnant, or breast feeding * Allergy to Latex * Use of Tobacco * Hysterectomy * Blood pressure \>140/90 mmHg * Current or prior use of hormone replacement therapy (within 3 mo)

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
sympathetic nerve activity	on day 6-8 of the hormone treatment	Sympathetic nerve activity will be measured using a technique called microneurography and reported as burst frequency (number of bursts per minute) and burst area (height / size of bursts).

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
BOLD fMRI	on day 6-8 of the hormone treatment	functional connectivity

Contacts

CONTACTMegan Wenner, PhD

mwenner@udel.edu13028317343

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 28, 2026