Could HRT stop dementia?

Conclusion This small study appears to have found an association between the gene variant APOE-e4 and the rate at which telomeres become shorter, which is usually regarded as a biological sign of cell ageing. It does not show that HRT can help prevent Alzheimer's in women who carry the APOE-e4 gene variant. This analysis is an exaggeration of the researchers' findings by the press. A systematic review from the Cochrane Collaboration in 2008 suggested that, at the time, there was good evidence that HRT did not prevent cognitive decline in older postmenopausal women when given in the short or longer term (up to five years). However, the Cochrane review did not look at whether the effect differed in women with different genotypes. It is possible that, with only 24 carriers of the gene included, the findings are not representative of what would be seen in a larger group of women. A far larger trial that follows women for several years and looks at clinical outcomes is required in order to find out what the effects of HRT are on this group.     Analysis by Bazian. Edited by NHS Choices. Follow Behind the Headlines on Twitter. Links To The Headlines HRT 'protects' against rapid ageing that may be linked to Alzheimer's disease, study finds. The Independent, February 14 2013 HRT could help delay onset of dementia. The Daily Telegraph, February 14 2013 HRT cuts Alzheimer risk. Daily Express, February 14 2013 Links To Science Jacobs EG, Kroenke C, Lin J, et al. Accelerated Cel...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Neurology Genetics/stem cells Source Type: news