A recent study suggests that early menopause may raise the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in women.
Researchers from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the University of Toronto found that women who go through menopause earlier may experience faster cognitive decline due to poor synaptic health.
The findings were published in Science Advances.
The researchers analyzed data from 268 women participating in the Rush University Memory and Aging Project.
They discovered that women who had early menopause showed signs of poor synaptic health—meaning weaker connections between brain cells. These women also experienced faster cognitive decline.
Alzheimer’s disease affects twice as many women as men. Women tend to have more of the harmful Alzheimer’s proteins in their brains and show symptoms of memory loss earlier.
This study provides new insight into why women may be more vulnerable to the disease.
Estrogen, a hormone that declines during menopause, is important for maintaining healthy brain connections.
When women go through menopause early, their estrogen levels drop sooner, potentially increasing their risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
The study suggests that this loss of estrogen may weaken synapses—the connections between brain cells—which could speed up cognitive decline.
Interestingly, the researchers found that women who had used menopausal hormone therapy showed less severe effects. This suggests that hormone therapy might help protect the brain as it ages, but more research is needed to confirm this.
Dr. Madeline Wood Alexander, the study’s lead author and a Ph.D. student at the University of Toronto, emphasized the need for more research on how women’s hormonal health affects brain aging.
She explained that although estrogen is known to protect brain connections, very little research has been done on its role in Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Jennifer Rabin, the study’s senior author, pointed out that women’s health has historically been undervalued and underfunded in medical research. She believes that studying these issues further could help find new ways to keep all brains healthier for longer.
This study highlights the need for more research on the link between early menopause, hormone therapy, and brain health. While there is no definite answer yet, these findings suggest that hormonal changes may play a key role in Alzheimer’s risk. Women who experience early menopause may want to discuss potential brain health strategies with their doctors.
