The risk of dementia is higher in women than in men, and the drop in estrogen at the time of menopause has the consequence of accelerating neurological pathologies in women, begins the study published in theAlzheimer’s Research & Therapy January 9. Researchers in the UK have looked at hormone therapy to reduce the risk of developing dementia.
Better memory, better cognitive state
So far, hormone replacement treatments have shown mixed results. But in this study, the scientists are interested in a certain type of patient: women carrying the APOE4 gene. The number 4 allele of this gene has been associated by studies with the greatest risk of developing the Alzheimer’s disease.
They started from a cohort comprising 1,178 women over the age of 50, presenting no dementia at the start. They were placed on hormone therapy, which enabled the researchers to observe the impact of the treatment in those who were carriers of this gene. The volume of their brains has been studied via MRIs, because one of the researchers specifies that cognitive performance and a decrease in the volume of brain mass are indices of a risk of dementia. Conclusion: Scientists have realized that the memory and cognitive state of these women was generally better thanks to HRT.
If their research should continue, they note all the same that this type of treatment could help to limit the risks of dementia in these women, especially when taken early enough, in the transition phase with menopause (perimenopause).
Source: Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, University of East Anglia
