Study reveals connection between estrogen levels and a risk of dementia

A research group from the George Institute for Global Health in Australia found out that the estrogen levels can be an indicator of a woman's risk of developing dementia.

The researchers suggest that some of the reproductive factors (early or late menstruation, early menopause) are a sign of a higher risk of certain neurological problems connected with cognitive and social skills.

According to the PloS Medicine journal, pregnancy and abortion are connected with the lower risk of dementia and other neurological problems.

However, lead author Jessica Gong from the Institute points out that the exact connections between estrogen and dementia still need to be studied closely.

“While the risk of developing dementia increases with age, we don’t yet know whether the higher rates seen in women are simply because they live longer,” said Gong. “But it’s possible that female-specific reproductive factors may be able to explain some of the sex differences.”