This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Oophorectomy is performed in 30% of women by the time they enter menopause; most of these procedures are 'prophylactic' or 'incidental'. However there is now increasing awareness of the functionality of the postmenopausal ovary in maintaining postmenopausal testosterone (T) levels. In hypogonadal men, T deficiency has significant morphometric and metabolic consequences, decreasing muscle mass, strength, exercise tolerance, and increasing insulin resistance. Do the same effects occur in surgically castrate T-deficient women? In order to address this issue, this proposal outlines a cross-sectional examination of the morphometric, endurance, and diabetogenic sequelae of postmenopausal oophorectomy, compared to a gynecologically intact control group. We hypothesize that in postmenopausal women, a history of oophorectomy, and consequent low T levels, creates a predisposition to decreased muscle mass, increased fat mass, decreased strength and maximal exercise tolerance (VO2 max), as well as decreased insulin sensitivity. If such changes are seen in this study, then compelling preliminary data is generated for a more rigorous examination of the adverse sequelae of incidental or prophylactic oophorectomy, as well as the potential therapeutic benefit of physiologic T replacement.
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