Women taking estrogen had fewer signs of Alzheimer’s in their brains
Women who used estrogen-only hormone therapy later in life were less likely to develop dementia and showed fewer signs of Alzheimer’s disease in their brains, according to a large study of more than 21,000 participants. Hormone therapy use was linked to 39% lower odds of a dementia diagnosis and 35% lower odds of Alzheimer’s-related brain changes at autopsy, including amyloid plaques and tau…
A recent study published in Neurology on August 12, 2026, has revealed that women who used estrogen-only hormone therapy later in life had a reduced likelihood of displaying signs of Alzheimer's disease in their brains. The research, led by Dr. Jennifer Bruno of Stanford Medicine, analyzed data from two large datasets containing medical information from 21,462 female participants.
The findings, while not definitive, suggest an association between hormone therapy use and better brain health outcomes. However, the study's authors caution that the results may not apply to current hormone therapy practices, as participants were using the therapy in their 70s, whereas modern medical guidelines typically recommend starting hormone therapy in the late 40s to early 50s and discontinuing use before age 60.
Despite this limitation, the study found that women who used hormone therapy had 35% lower odds of showing Alzheimer's-related pathology at autopsy and 39% lower odds of receiving a clinical dementia diagnosis.
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