Abstract
Background: Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) may delay dementia-related cognitive
decline in post-menopausal women, but few studies have longitudinally examined this
relationship and none has controlled for baseline functioning or concurrent medication.
Methods: We report the results of a 1-year retrospective longitudinal study examining
cognitive functioning in female estrogen and nonestrogen users (n = 3128) who presented to the state of California memory disorder clinics in a naturalistic
multisite study of senile dementia, Alzheimer’s type (SDAT), and other cognitive impairments.
Results: At baseline, estrogen users had significantly lower rates of SDAT diagnoses
(possible and probable) than nonestrogen users, and significantly higher rates of
the lesser diagnoses of “cognitive impairment” and “no dementia.” ERT was significantly
associated with higher cognitive functioning at baseline and at 1 year follow-up (n = 358). Nonestrogen users deteriorated significantly from baseline to follow-up;
estrogen users did not. Results were similar in groups matched on baseline Blessed-Roth
Dementia Rating Scale (BRDRS) ratings (n = 32) and in a variety of subpopulations.
Conclusions: These findings are consistent with estrogen acting as a protective factor
against cognitive deterioration in post-menopausal women with SDAT and other cognitive
impairments, and may suggest an increased effect in earlier stages of cognitive impairment.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
November 2,
1998
Received in revised form:
April 22,
1998
Received in revised form:
November 2,
1998
Received:
August 26,
1997
Identification
Copyright
© 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
