HRT Linked to Lower Dementia Risk in Large Study of Postmenopausal Women
A large study found postmenopausal women using HRT had a 10% lower risk of dementia, with the strongest link among women who started treatment earlier.
Details
A large UK Biobank study of 183,450 postmenopausal women found that those who had used hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, were associated with a 10% lower risk of developing dementia over an average follow-up of about 13 years. The association was stronger for Alzheimer disease and was especially noticeable among women who had undergone surgical menopause, women with lower lifetime exposure to natural estrogen, and some women carrying the APOE4 genetic variant. The researchers also found that the association was strongest among women who began HRT between ages 46 and 56, while the same pattern was not seen for women who started later. The study is important because it adds detail to the long-running debate about hormones, menopause, and brain health. However, it was an observational study, so it cannot prove that HRT itself prevents dementia. Differences between HRT users and non-users, including health, education, medical care, and other factors, could contribute to the result. The researchers say more work is needed, including studies that distinguish between hormone types, doses, and delivery methods. For now, the findings are best understood as evidence of an association rather than proof that HRT should be used specifically to prevent dementia.
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