Is there a ‘window of opportunity’ to prevent Alzheimer’s in women?

image via New Scientist

August 26, 2026, 7:52 PM

• •Two new studies examined links between menopause timing, hormone therapy and later dementia risk in women.
• •An analysis of more than 180,000 postmenopausal women in the U.K. found HRT use was associated with a 10 percent lower risk of all-cause dementia and a 16 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease over 13 years.
• •Among women with surgical menopause, the HRT-associated reduction in dementia risk was larger, at 26 percent, and starting treatment between ages 46 and 56 was linked to lower risk than starting later.
• •A separate study reported that earlier menopause was associated with later cognitive decline, earlier Alzheimer’s diagnosis and changes in brain white matter markers.
• •Researchers say the findings are correlational and mixed prior evidence means HRT cannot yet be recommended to prevent dementia.

Two newly published studies add evidence that menopause timing may influence later dementia risk in women. One study of more than 180,000 postmenopausal women in the U.K. found hormone replacement therapy was associated with lower rates of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, especially among women with surgical menopause and those who started treatment earlier. Another study found that earlier menopause was linked to faster cognitive decline, earlier Alzheimer’s diagnosis and lasting brain changes detectable decades later. Researchers stress that the findings are correlational and that more clinical and mechanistic research is needed before HRT could be recommended to prevent dementia.

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