MidLife
Alzheimer's disease and estrogen
At this point in time, it is too soon to tell whether or not estrogen replacement therapy provides any additional protection against Alzheimer’s disease. Two clinical trials are currently underway to test this theory and they are being conducted through the National Institute of Aging and the Women’s Health Initiative.
To date, most studies on this matter have been with small groups and largely an observational design. In those confines, research has linked estrogen to helping form connections between brain cells, and an improvement in mental functioning in women with Alzheimer's. Some suggested that women who took estrogen might be at reduced risk for Alzheimer's, while other studies found no evidence of a protective or preventive effect.
What is exciting about these results is that they encourage more sophisticated research. We look forward to learning more from the clinical trials, including the Women’s Health Initiative (study to be completed in 2005).
