Clinical trials are under way to test estrogen for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Once scientists discover how estrogen protects nerve cells, we can initiate a drug discovery process focusing on those mechanisms. Goals would include finding or creating estrogen-like Alzheimer treatments that do not increase breast cancer risk for women or that are not feminizing for men. While studies indicate that the use of estrogen may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, additional, larger studies are needed to conclusively establish estrogen as an effective therapy for delaying or preventing Alzheimer's disease in women. More specific information, such as dose and duration, is needed to determine the delaying effects of estrogen therapy.
Questions remain about the safety of prolonged estrogen use.
Scientists hope to isolate the mechanism in estrogen that has the beneficial effect so that safety may be increased, and men may benefit as well as women. The Alzheimer's Association believes that the decision to use estrogen replacement therapy should be made by each woman and her physician. The following studies on estrogen have been released in recent years. A One-Year Randomized Clinical Trial. Researchers measured mood, memory, attention, language, motor function and activities of daily living.