THIS is your brain on estrogen

[Rafaela]

Hi all, I've been looking into what hormone treatment does to the brain, as I've had a little bit of difficulty concentrating and remembering things lately, but have found my long term memory has improved. I call my current state of mind "pudding brain" but interestingly despite studies showing that brain volume decreases under cross sex hormone therapy in mtf individuals, the following is also true:

Q: There's so much confusion about hormone replacement therapy. What do you tell women?   
A: I tell women that if they are over 60 and have never taken hormone replacement therapy (HRT), they are probably not good candidates for HRT, according to the results of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) studies. On the other hand, a woman who is peri­menopausal should talk with her doctor and decide what is best for her. We know that estradiol promotes cognitive functions related to language and fine motor skills in women. The animal research is very clear that estradiol has beneficial effects on the brain. Estradiol induces nerve growth factor, which promotes survival of neurons important for learning and memory. Estradiol promotes activity in motor and motivational brain regions, and maintains the survival of neurons known to degenerate in Parkinson's disease. In the absence of estradiol, these functions are lost. Long-term hormone withdrawal can make it impossible for estradiol to restore these functions. So, a woman should decide if she is going to take HRT before she is symptomatic and work with her doctor to determine the best formulation and dose for her. My personal opinion is that HRT is beneficial for cognitive function, and so women should seriously consider taking estradiol, with or without proges­terone (depending on whether they have had a hysterectomy). I believe that the adverse effects reported in the WHI study cannot be generalized to all women, but are specific for women who have been post-menopausal without HRT for many years.
- See more at: http://www.dana.org/Publications/ReportDetails.aspx?id=44157#sthash.vzDlsrQz.dpuf

Interesting. The link shows the full article, but it's too long to post here and expect people to read it

[KayXo]

A: I tell women that if they are over 60 and have never taken hormone replacement therapy (HRT), they are probably not good candidates for HRT, according to the results of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) studies.

The WHI study comprised of non bio-identical estrogen and a progestin, taken orally, known to have adverse effects on the body. One cannot assume this is the case for bio-identical hormones, taken orally and non-orally. Studies have shown a significant difference between these molecules. Half the world population secretes significant amounts of estrogen and progesterone for a good part of their lives. This has been going on for a very, very long time.