Memory Takes a Hit During Menopause
Starting hormone therapy (estrogen or progesterone) before the last period seemed to help cognitive function, whereas starting after the last period was linked to smaller improvements in test scores than achieved by women who did not take hormones, the study found.
The researchers are still studying whether menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes play any role in memory and learning fluctuations during this transition.
"For older women, meaning after 60 or 65 years, it's pretty clear from several studies that starting hormone therapy isn't going to help memory and isn't going to help prevent dementia or Alzheimer's," Henderson said. "In fact, it seems to increase the risk of dementia when started after this age."
And the message regarding appropriate use of hormone therapy remains the same: Take it only for bothersome symptoms of menopause, for the shortest time possible and at the lowest dose possible.
"There is some suggestion that early use of hormone therapy might be helpful, but it's just a hint," he continued. "This, like most research, is incremental and doesn't change clinical practice."
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