Long-term use of postmenopausal hormone therapy lessens risk of dementia, study finds

Using postmenopausal oestrogen-based hormone therapy for more than 10 years is associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a large Finnish study has found. The study, by the University of Eastern Finland, explored the association between postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and cognition in two nationwide case-control studies and 2 longitudinal cohort studies. The largest study included about 230,000 Finnish women and the follow-up time in different studies was up to 20 years. “The protective effect of hormone therapy may depend on its timing: it may have cognitive benefits if initiated at the time of menopause when