Certain reproductive events, such as early menstruation, early menopause, and hysterectomy were linked to an increased risk of a woman developing dementia later in life. Women who experienced pregnancy or who entered into menopause later were at a lower risk for dementia.
Despite previous claims, new research finds there is no link between menopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and an increased risk of developing dementia.
A new study reports mother rats who received hormone replacement therapy responded worse to memory and spatial learning tasks than those who had not given birth. Researchers suggest a woman's reproductive history could impact how the brain responds to hormones later in life.