A new international study led by researchers at the University of Galway has found that women who enter menopause at an earlier age may have a higher risk of developing dementia later in life.
On the other hand, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause may help lower this risk.
The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, analyzed data from 1,329 women who were part of the Framingham Heart Study.
This study is the longest-running research project of its kind in the world and has followed participants and their families for decades to understand health trends over a lifetime.
The researchers looked at several factors across the women’s lives, such as the age they had their first period, the age they entered menopause, how long their reproductive years lasted, their blood estrogen levels, and whether they used hormone therapy after menopause.
These were then compared with their brain scans, memory test results, and whether they eventually developed dementia.
The results showed that women who went through menopause at a younger age had a higher chance of developing dementia. However, women who used HRT after menopause were less likely to get dementia.
The study also found that more years of estrogen exposure—meaning a longer reproductive lifespan—was linked with better memory and larger brain sizes. Larger brain volume, especially in certain areas, is a good sign because shrinkage in these areas is often seen in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Women who had more children and higher estrogen levels also did better on cognitive tests, particularly on tasks that involved understanding shapes and space—skills known as visuospatial abilities.
Professor Emer McGrath, the lead author of the study, said the research shows how important it is to look at a woman’s entire reproductive life when considering her brain health. She noted that the benefits of higher estrogen exposure for brain function are promising but need more research to confirm.
Currently, women make up nearly two-thirds of those living with Alzheimer’s disease. This difference is partly due to women living longer, but other factors such as hormone levels and reproductive history may also play a key role.
The Framingham Heart Study, which began in 1948 in Massachusetts, has been a critical source of data for understanding long-term health.
In 1971, the study added the children of the original participants and their spouses to form a second-generation group. It’s from this group that the current study’s participants were selected.
Professor McGrath said the findings point to a greater need for research into how female biology affects brain aging.
“When we looked at the brain scans, we saw that women who had more children had larger brain volumes in areas that usually shrink with Alzheimer’s. This could be another factor in protecting brain health,” she said.
While the study doesn’t prove cause and effect, it strongly suggests that the timing of menopause and the use of hormone therapy can influence long-term brain health in women. These insights could eventually help shape better strategies to reduce dementia risk.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Common drug for constipation is linked to higher dementia risk and findings of Scientists find link between heartburn drugs and increased dementia risk.
For more about dementia, please read studies about Scientists find a drug related to Viagra may help treat vascular dementia and findings of link between body inflammation and dementia risk.
The study is published in Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
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