Hormone Therapy May Forestall Dementia in Younger Women

If taken soon after menopause, new research suggests that hormone therapy may help protect women against dementia. However, if not started until you're older, the drugs can increase the risk of mental decline. While current medical wisdom says that hormone-replacement therapy will not protect you against diseases associated with aging, new findings suggest that the timing of treatment may be a key factor, particularly for heart attacks and dementia.

Released this month at a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, experts cautioned that the new study is preliminary. More testing is required before recommending hormone therapy for younger women to stave off dementia. The study was conducted in conjunction with the massive Women's Health Initiative which tracked 7,153 women for breast cancer and heart disease.

In recent studies, there has been mounting evidence that women in their 50s who take hormones close to the onset of menopause may receive a greater benefit and confront less risk than older women. In the study, dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease, was reduced by half in women who took hormones before age 65. Past research has shown that women who take hormones after age 65 experience a 75% increased risk of dementia.