Estrogen-Only Hormone Therapy Linked to Reduced Alzheimer's Signs in Women's Brains
A large-scale study examining more than 21,000 participants has found that women who used estrogen-only hormone therapy later in life were less likely to develop dementia and exhibited fewer hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease in their brains.
The research revealed that hormone therapy use was associated with 39% lower odds of a dementia diagnosis. At autopsy, these women showed 35% lower odds of Alzheimer's-related brain changes, including reduced amyloid plaques and tau tangles—the two primary pathological markers of the disease.
Biomarker tests conducted during the study also suggested lower amyloid buildup among hormone therapy users, providing additional evidence of a potential protective effect.
The findings focus specifically on estrogen-only therapy, which is typically prescribed to women who have undergone a hysterectomy. The relationship between hormone therapy timing, formulation, and cognitive outcomes remains an active area of research.