 as it could offer other benefits than just relief from the menopause. Hormone oestrogen is included in some forms of HRT medicationCredit: Getty Women had previously been concerned about taking HRT due to fears surrounding dementia. This is due to a previous study that found women who took HRT had a 9-17 per cent higher chance of developing Alzheimer's. Now a new study by the Mayo Clinic found that loss of oestrogen could accelerate the ageing of the brain and that HRT has no adverse effects on memory. Researchers said the surgical removal of both ovaries was associated with a five fold increased risk of Parkinson's in women under the age of 43. They added that the explanation could be due to the lack of oestrogen. Lead researcher Dr Walter Rocca, of the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, US, said: "We can say that oestrogen has some neuroprotective effects and some possibly harmful effects on the brain. 'The protective effects may be against vascular or degenerative processes. For example, it has been hypothesised that oestrogen may reduce the accumulation of amyloid in the brain. 'The balance between positive and negative effects on the brain may vary by age and may depend on the presence of other diseases.' Writing in Jama Network Open, the experts said that every 53 women who have both ovaries removed will go on to develop Parkinson's or symptoms such as muscle rigitify or tremors. They explained that replacing the oestrogen lost through HRT could be beneficial. Another study published in September 2019 found that using HRT does not increase dementia risk. HRT works by replacing the hormones that deplete during the menopause, including oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. The team, from the universities of Nottingham, Oxford and Southampton, looked){kind=link}
HORMONES used in menopause medication could help protect women from dementia and Parkinson’s, experts have claimed.
Medics in the US said women should not be discouraged from taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) as it could offer other benefits than just relief from the menopause.
Women had previously been concerned about taking HRT due to fears surrounding dementia.
This is due to a previous study that found women who took HRT had a 9-17 per cent higher chance of developing Alzheimer’s.
Now a new study by the Mayo Clinic found that loss of oestrogen could accelerate the ageing of the brain and that HRT has no adverse effects on memory.