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American Academy of Neurology

Hormone Therapy Type Matters for Memory Performance After Menopause, Study Finds

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A study published in the August 2025 issue of Neurology(R), an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology, has found associations between the type of estradiol-based hormone therapy taken during and after menopause and differences in memory performance. The study, which included 7,251 cognitively healthy postmenopausal participants, found that those using hormone patches or gels had better episodic memory, while those taking hormone pills had better prospective memory. However, hormone therapy did not appear to affect executive function, which includes planning or problem-solving skills.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that earlier menopause was linked to lower scores across all areas of memory and thinking.
  • Participants using transdermal estradiol had better scores on episodic memory tests than those who never used hormone therapy.
  • Those who took estradiol pills demonstrated better scores on prospective memory than those who never used hormone therapy.
  • Neither form of therapy was linked to differences in executive function scores.
  • The findings suggest that the type of estradiol therapy used may influence cognitive performance differently across various types of memory.
  • Understanding these links could help inform more tailored approaches to maintaining brain health after menopause.

Statistics:

  • The study included 7,251 cognitively healthy postmenopausal participants.
  • The average age of participants was 61, and they reached menopause at an average age of 51.
  • 4% of participants used transdermal estradiol, while 2% took estradiol pills.
  • The remaining 94% of participants did not use hormone therapy.
  • The average scores of participants using transdermal estradiol were a third of a standard deviation apart from those who never used hormone therapy for episodic memory tests.
  • The average scores of participants taking estradiol pills were also a third of a standard deviation apart from those who never used hormone therapy for prospective memory tests.

Sources:

  • "Hormone therapy type matters for memory performance after menopause" (Neurology(R), August 2025)
  • "The Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging"
  • "Brain Health" (BrainandLife.org, American Academy of Neurology)
  • "The American Academy of Neurology" (AAN.com)

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