For decades, doctors have been puzzled by why women develop Alzheimer’s disease at nearly twice the rate of men.There are an estimated 7 million people in the U.S. living with Alzheimer’s, with that number expected to reach nearly 13 million by 2050. A majority of cases, or about 2 out of every 3, are in women.An emerging body of research is suggesting that estrogen, the predominant female sex hormone, may play a critical role, specifically in the perimenopausal transition to menopause, when the body’s hormone levels naturally begin to decline.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEstrogen is thought to perform a variety of functions in the body, such as improving cardiovascular health and maintaining bone density. Estrogen is very important to the brain and is considered neuroprotective, helping shield brain cells from inflammation, stress and other forms of cellular damage.Alzheimer’s researchers are focused on the early period of perimenopause, which typically occurs in a woman’s early- to mid-40s, as a target for hormone replacement therapy to maintain estrogen levels and possibly protect some women against developing dementia decades later.“This interest comes primarily from decades of pre-clinical research, animal models, and basic science research showing that menopause is a tipping point for Alzheimer’s pathology,” said Lisa Mosconi, director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Weill Cornell Medicine.Mosconi is leading a new $50 million global women’s health research initiative called CARE, or Cutting women’s Alzheimer’s risk through endocrinology. Looking at biomarkers from nearly 100 million women, it’s expected to be the largest analysis of why women are at greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe link between estrogen and dementia has gained renewed focus after the Food and Drug Administration recently lifted the decades-old black-box warning on hormone replacement therapy, a move that may lead to many more women in their 40s and 50s being prescribed treatment.Doctors say loosened restrictions could reduce stigma around hormone therapy. The FDA’s move could also pave the way for broader research into whether hormone replacement therapy might offer additional benefits, including …
