Risks and Benefits of Hormone Therapy After Menopause for Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Conceptual Review

Objective: The effects on the brain of hormone therapy after the onset of menopause remain uncertain. The effects may be beneficial, neutral, or harmful. We provide a conceptual review of the evidence.

Methods: We 1) provide a brief history of the evidence, 2) discuss some of the interpretations of the evidence, 3) discuss the importance of age at menopause, type of menopause, and presence of vasomotor symptoms, and 4) provide some clinical recommendations.

Results: The evidence and the beliefs about hormone therapy and dementia have changed over the last 30 years or more. Five recent observation studies suggested that hormone therapy is associated with an increased risk of dementia, and the association appears not to change with the timing of initiation of therapy. These harmful associations may be explained by a causal effect of hormone therapy on the brain or by several confounding mechanisms. We suggest that the use of hormone therapy should be customized for different subgroups of women. It may be important to subgroup women based on age at onset of menopause, type of menopause, and presence or absence of vasomotor symptoms. In addition, the effects may vary by type, dose, route, and duration of administration of estrogens and by the concurrent use of progestogens.

Discussion: The relation of hormone therapy with the risk of dementia is complex. Hormone therapy may have beneficial, neutral, or harmful effects on the brain. Hormone therapy should be guided by the clinical characteristics of the women being treated.