Timing of menopause and hormone therapy may influence dementia risk in women

Two new studies suggest that the age at which menopause begins and the timing of hormone replacement therapy could affect women's risk of cognitive decline. An analysis of over 180,000 postmenopausal women in the U.K. found that those using hormone therapy had a 10% lower risk of dementia and 16% lower risk of Alzheimer's, with even greater benefits for surgical menopause and earlier treatment. Researchers caution that the findings are not conclusive and further investigation is required.