For both men and women, the journey into midlife and beyond is a time of both mental and physical changes-changes that, even though they are a completely normal part of the life cycle, can prove stressful and confusing.

Menopause is the time when the ovaries cease to function, the production of estrogen radically declines, and the production of progesterone ceases altogether. This shift in the balance of hormones present in the body can trigger a variety of symptoms that many women find uncomfortable: mood changes, hot flashes, difficulty sleeping, increased or decreased sexual desire, and problems with the vagina and bladder.

Less visible but even more significant are the increased risk of heart disease and loss of bone tissue (osteoporosis) that often accompany menopause. In the 1980s and 1990s, the medical community believed that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was an excellent way to address health risks like osteoporosis as well as to alleviate the discomfort of the more immediately noticeable menopausal symptoms.

In the last few years, however, new studies have put HRT in the headlines and triggered a massive re-evaluation of the best approach to treat the symptoms of menopause. Dr. Roberta B. Ness will explain the evolution of our understanding of HRT and the medical community's current stand on this somewhat confusing and controversial issue in light of the most recent studies.

Dr. Susan L. Greenspan will focus on the impact that osteoporosis can have on overall public and individual health. As one of the consequences of menopause, osteoporosis is more common than heart attack, stroke, or diabetes and can substantially affect quality of life. Dr. Greenspan will discuss the importance of maintaining strong bones and the latest methods for preventing and treating osteoporosis.

While men's symptoms may not be as radical or immediately apparent as those of women, men are by no means immune from the consequences of aging. One common issue that many men face is erectile dysfunction (ED). Unfortunately, many men are reluctant to discuss this issue with their physicians, even though the cause of ED is often physiological and usually quite treatable. Dr. Michael B. Chancellor will conclude tonight's presentations about normal aging for men and women by explaining the anatomy and physiology of ED and discussing the various treatments that are currently available and on the horizon.

Dr. Roberta B. Ness is the chair of the Department of Epidemiology, director of the Women's Health Program in that department, and director of Cancer Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. She received her M.D. degree from Cornell University and her M.P.H. from Columbia University; she is board certified in internal medicine.
Dr. Ness's research interests include ovarian and breast cancers, adverse reproductive outcomes, cardiovascular disease, sexually transmitted diseases, and professional equity between genders. She has directed over twenty federally funded grants and published numerous articles, book chapters, and editorials over the past dozen years on a wide variety of issues in women's health.

In addition to his bi-departmental faculty appointments, Dr. Chancellor is a research project coordinator for the University's McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. He is also director of the Mentored Scientist Development Program in Urology, an NIH-sponsored research training program. Dr. Chancellor earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He completed his urology residency at the University of Michigan and a fellowship in neurourology (the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the nerves that control the urinary system) and female urology at Columbia University. Before arriving at Pitt, he was an associate professor of urology at Thomas Jefferson University. His clinical interests include neurourology, urinary incontinence, and reconstructive surgery of the urinary tract. A prolific author and researcher, Dr. Chancellor is pioneering research in tissue engineering and gene therapy for the treatment of bladder and prostate pain and urinary incontinence.