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Hormone Replacement and Cognitive Maintenance
There is a growing recognition in "mainstream" scientific publications that replacement of estrogen (and possibly progesterone) may help fend off age-related dementia (cognitive decline). Studies have established the role of estrogen in regenerating and preserving central nervous system elements that are similar to brain elements in parts of the brain most sensitive to the degeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease.2 Animal studies show that steroidal hormone deficiencies may result in loss of memory and learning skills. Hormone therapy can put the brakes on overall cognitive performance decline; some selective neuronal injury, neuronal loss and reduced synaptic density appear to be avoidable. Some studies suggest that estrogen deficiency selectively increases neuronal vulnerability. The brain becomes less responsive to signals which otherwise would spur regeneration of axons and synapses. However, in animals which have had their ovaries removed and brains lesioned, estrogen treatment has been shown to restore the density of the synapses in the animals' brains. In this light, estrogen deficiency is one of the important factors leading to age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. This correlation also appears to be true for hormone therapy involving DHEA, probably pregnenolone, and possibly other hormones as well. Moreover, it appears likely that through the orchestrated use of these hormones we can go into a future in which wisdom is not tempered by impairment of the processing machinery in our brains. Remember, if you do use estrogen replacement, we recommend that you use only the natural form of "triple-estrogen" pioneered by Dr. Jonathan Wright, which is available by prescription from a compounding pharmacy. Also, if you use estrogen of any kind, we also recommend that you use it in conjunction with natural progesterone. References 1. Sherwin BB. Estrogenic effects on memory in women. Ann N Y Acad Sci.
1994;743:213-230,230-231.
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