Overview
- University of Cambridge researchers analyzed UK Biobank records from nearly 125,000 women, including about 11,000 MRI scans, comparing pre- and post-menopause with and without HRT.
- Post-menopause was associated with reduced grey matter in the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex and anterior cingulate, areas central to memory and emotion.
- Women after menopause reported more insomnia, shorter sleep and greater tiredness, along with higher rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms.
- Hormone replacement therapy did not prevent structural brain changes or clearly improve memory performance, though users showed slightly faster reaction times.
- Alzheimer’s charities emphasized that the study cannot establish causation and called for long-term follow-up plus risk-reduction steps such as regular exercise, not smoking and limiting alcohol.