Menopause can cause significant symptoms, and hormone therapy is used by many women to alleviate them.
At the same time, concerns have existed for years about whether the treatment could negatively affect the brain.
According to ScienceAlert, this uncertainty has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to commission a large review of existing research.
One million women
Dementia is a disease many people fear, and potential risk therefore plays a major role when women consider hormone therapy.
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To date, WHO has not had clear guidelines on the link between hormone therapy and dementia, even though the topic frequently arises in healthcare settings.
The new review, published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, is based on data from more than one million women and is, according to ScienceAlert, the most comprehensive analysis in the field to date.
The results will be used in WHO’s upcoming recommendations on the prevention of cognitive decline, which are expected in 2026.
What the research shows
Hormone therapy is primarily used to treat hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems, and osteoporosis.
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According to the researchers behind the review, the treatment is generally safe and effective for most healthy women when used correctly.
ScienceAlert notes, however, that many of the studies examined are observational.
This means they cannot prove whether hormone therapy directly affects the risk of dementia. The results point in different directions and are generally inconclusive.
The cautious conclusion
The review finds no solid evidence that hormone therapy either increases or reduces the risk of dementia.
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One study found a small increased risk among women over the age of 65, but the researchers assess the evidence as weak.
According to ScienceAlert, this means that hormone therapy should neither be used nor avoided solely out of fear of dementia. Further research is still needed.
Sources: ScienceAlert, and The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
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