Does an estrogen pill a day keep dementia away?

Postmenopausal ' ERT [estrogen replacement therapy] in nondemented women may help protect against cognitive decline as well as diagnosable dementia' , say US-based researchers.l

THERAPY

The study involved 2338 nondemented women aged ~ 65 years who were divided into groups depending on their current use (n = 670), ever use (592), or nonuse of ERT. To evaluate the association between history of postmenopausal estrogen use and cognitive function, all subjects were administered the Modified Mental Status Examination (3MSE).

Bivariate ANOVA analyses demonstrated that estrogen use was significantly related to 3MSE scores; mean 3MSE scores for current users were signific­antly higher than scores for ever users, which were significantly higher than scores for nonusers (94.4, 93.5 and 92.1, respectively). Estrogen use remained significant in subsequent ANOVA models which controlled for factors of independent variables known to affect cognition, including lower education, age, activity limitation, current depression and presence of ~ 1 APOE £4 allele.

However, 'the evidence for widespread use of estrogen to prevent dementia or cognitive decline is not yet sufficient' , says Dr Anne Newman from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania, US, in an accompanying editorial.2 Dr Newman goes on to say that 'dementia prevention should not be oversold to women as one of the indications for estrogen use in late life'. 1. Steffens DC, et aI. Enhanced cognitive performance with estrogen use in nondemented community-dwelling older women. JoumaI of the American

Geriatrics Society 47 (Plus editorial): 1171-1175, Oct 1999 2. NewmanAB. Cognitive performance and estrogen use in nondemented older women. JoumaI of the American Geriatrics Society 47: 1267-126S, Oct 1999 100763\9\

1173-832419911214-000151$01.00· Adlalntemetlonal Limited 1999. All rlghta rnemtd

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Inpharma- 20 Nov 1999 No. 1214