Menopause Effects on Cortico-reticular Functioning

NCT07500922 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 203/13.00.04.00/2026
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Post-menopausal women who request to begin hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) are directed to the research team. The participants are tested before beginning HRT, after two months of HRT, and five months of HRT. Tests include strength performance, central nervous system functioning, body composition, resting metabolic rate, and vascular screening. The participants are provided a 12-week training intervention (2 x strength, 2 x endurance per week) that can be voluntarily followed between tests at month 2 and 5. Compliance with the training program is recorded. A minimum of 15 participants are needed a priori, but the investigators aim to recruit and test 20 women.

Conditions

Menopause; Hormone Replacement Therapy

Keywords

cortico-reticular; central nervous system; physical performance; strength

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI)

  Ten double-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulations delivered with 3 ms inter-stimulus interval. The conditioning pulse delivered at 80% of active motor threshold and the test pulse delivered at 120% of active motor threshold. Motor-evoked potential amplitude compared to single-pulse responses at 120% of active motor threshold.

  Change from baseline to month 2 and change from baseline to month 5

Secondary Outcomes (18)

• Motor-evoked potential recruitment curve

  Change from baseline to month 2 and change from baseline to month 5

• StartleTMS

  Change from baseline to month 2 and change from baseline to month 5

• Intra-cortical facilitation (ICF)

  Change from baseline to month 2 and change from baseline to month 5

• Long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI)

  Change from baseline to month 2 and change from baseline to month 5

• Motor-evoked potential to anterior-posterior current

  Change from baseline to month 2 and change from baseline to month 5

Study Arms (1)

HRT+training

EXPERIMENTAL

The first phase follows the effect of HRT, the second phase follows the effects of HRT+physical training intervention (and compliance to the non-supervised intervention).

Behavioral: Physical training

Interventions

Physical training BEHAVIORAL

A 12-week, 4 x per week (2 x strength and 2 x endurance) training program to be performed voluntarily by the participants after tests at month 2.

HRT+training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 50 Years - 59 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• at least 6 months since their last period but no more than being 5 years post-menopausal
• basal follicular-stimulating hormone concentration \> 30 IU/L (confirmed post-recruitment)
• willing to start combined hormonal treatment
• womb and ovaries intact with normal functioning throughout reproductive age
• willing to provide informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• classified as excessively obese via BMI assessment (i.e., \>35 kg/m2)
• intra-uterine device usage during transition to menopause
• cardiovascular or skeletomuscular disease preventing strenuous physical activity
• smoker
• diagnosed psychiatric illness
• epilepsy
• other diagnosed injuries/illness affecting the neuromuscular system

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Jyvaskyla: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Jyväskylä

Jyväskylä, 40014, Finland

RECRUITING

Related Links

• Related Info

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Physical Conditioning, Human

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Exercise; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

• Simon Walker, PhD

  Universirty of Jyväskylä, Finland

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Simon Walker Dr (Dos.), PhD

CONTACT

+358408054906; simon.walker@jyu.fi

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Dr (Dos.)

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 24, 2026
• First Posted: March 30, 2026
• Study Start: April 25, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 31, 2028
• Last Updated: May 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

FI (1)