Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40866539›Full record

ArticleMolecular psychiatry2026

Postmortem tissue biomarkers of menopausal transition.

Maria Tickerhoof, Heining Cham, Laila Ouldibbat, Anaya Ger, Sonola Burrja, Pavan Auluck, Peter J Schmidt, Stefano Marenco, Marija Kundakovic

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Maria TickerhoofDepartment of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6690-8674
Heining ChamDepartment of Psychology, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA.
Laila OuldibbatDepartment of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA.
Anaya GerDepartment of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA.
Sonola BurrjaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-9182-5764
Pavan AuluckHuman Brain Collection Core, National Institute of Mental Health-Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4799-7904
Peter J SchmidtBehavioral Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health-Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6565-0181
Stefano MarencoHuman Brain Collection Core, National Institute of Mental Health-Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2488-2365
Marija KundakovicDepartment of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA. mkundakovic@fordham.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6734-4217

Funding

Procurement and Characterization of Postmortem Brain TissueZICMH002903 · NIMH · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH · PI MARENCO, STEFANO · 2009 to 2025
$56.0M
Procurement and Characterization of Postmortem Brain TissueZ01MH002903 · NIMH · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH · PI KLEINMAN, JOEL · 2007 to 2008
$4.0M
Molecular and cellular characterization of the human brain across menopausal transitionR01MH138370 · NIMH · FORDHAM UNIVERSITY · PI Marija Kundakovic · 2025 to 2026
$1.1M
Intramural NIH HHS Z01 MH002903Intramural NIH HHS ZIC MH002903NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH138370U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01MH138370
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The menopausal transition (MT) is associated with an increased risk for many disorders including neurological and mental disorders. Brain imaging studies in living humans show changes in brain metabolism and structure that may contribute to the MT-associated brain disease risk. Although deficits in ovarian hormones have been implicated, cellular and molecular studies of the brain undergoing MT are currently lacking, mostly due to a difficulty in studying MT in postmortem human brain. To enable this research, we explored 40 candidate biomarkers for menopausal status in 42 pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal subjects across three postmortem tissues: blood, the hypothalamus, and pituitary gland. We identified fourteen significant and seven strongest menopausal biomarkers across the three tissues. Using these biomarkers, we generated multi-tissue and tissue-specific composite measures that allow the postmortem identification of the menopausal status across different age ranges, including the "perimenopausal", 45-55-year-old group. Our findings enable the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying increased neuropsychiatric risk during the MT, opening the path for hormone status-informed, precision medicine approach in women's mental health.

Indexed as

MenopauseAdultAgedAutopsyBiomarkersBrainFemaleHumansHypothalamusMiddle AgedPituitary GlandBiomarkers

Identifiers

PMID40866539
PMCPMC12515968

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.