Postmenopausal women with mild cognitive impairment saw their intellectual performance improve after receiving hormone therapy for 24 months.
Hormones affect just about everything that happens in a woman’s body, from reproductive function and sex drive, weight to mood. A new one research, published in the journal North American Menopause Society (NAMS) shows how hormones can also slow cognitive decline in postmenopausal women as they age.
Mild cognitive impairment
Cognitive functions often decline with age. Mild cognitive impairment is defined as the intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia. For example, it may be more difficult to remember your shopping list, new names, etc …
Management of this condition is important because people with mild cognitive impairment are at increased risk of progressing to Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. 20% of this population goes from mild cognitive impairment to a more severe level of dementia each year.
An encouraging pilot test
The article reviews the results of a Korean study on the effect of hormone therapy on cognitive functions. The study followed postmenopausal women with mild cognitive impairment. Some took donepezil * with hormone therapy over 24 months, others only received a placebo. Results: The cognitive tests of the women who received hormone therapy improved significantly during this time.
Although the study is in a small cohort, “this encouraging pilot trial suggests that hormone therapy may be of benefit when given to women with mild dementia. To do this, women need to be question also take donepezil “specifies Joann Pinkerton, Executive Director of NAMS, before concluding:”larger trials are needed to assess the effect of hormone therapy before the full onset of Alzheimer’s disease “.
Hormone therapy
Remember that hormone therapy is a treatment based on the use of hormones. They can be real hormones, or, more often, molecules made in the laboratory. One of the most prescribed hormonal treatments is replacement therapy, which allows women with menopause not to suffer too much from the symptoms caused by hormonal deficiency. Hormonal therapy is also used in the treatment of certain cancers, especially breast cancer.
* Drug used in mild to moderately severe forms of Alzheimer’s disease.
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