Memory Improves With HRT

Ivanhoe Newswire
Friday, November 24, 2006; 12:00 AM

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be good for older brains.

According to a new study, women in the early years of menopause were better able to complete a task involving visual memory when on the treatment. The benefits also came after a relatively short period of time on the medication.

"Our findings suggest that even relatively short periods of hormone therapy have effects on the memory systems that may be of benefit to some women during the perimenopausal transition or early postmenopause," reports lead author Yolanda R. Smith, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor.

Researchers studied 10 women between ages 50 and 60 and divided them into two groups. One group received four weeks of HRT while the other received four weeks of a sham therapy. The two groups were then switched. During each phase of the study, the women underwent the memory tests while having functional MRIs to see how their brains reacted. When the women were on HRT, areas in their prefrontal cortex -- considered key in tasks involving memory -- were more active.

While many health questions remain regarding the long-term effects of HRT in older women, the investigators report these findings suggest the treatment may play a role to play in maintaining cognitive function as women age.

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SOURCE: The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, published online Nov. 16, 2006