![Hormonal Minds](https://healthandagingbrainstudy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Hormonal-Minds.png)
![Hormonal Minds](https://healthandagingbrainstudy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Hormonal-Minds.png)
Hormones are like the body’s messengers, sending signals that control everything from how we grow to how we feel. Recently, scientists have been finding out how these Hormonal Minds might also play a role in dementia, a condition that makes it hard for people to remember things, think clearly, and take care of themselves.
![Hormonal Minds 1](https://healthandagingbrainstudy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Hormonal-Minds-1-1024x585.jpg)
![Hormonal Minds 1](https://healthandagingbrainstudy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Hormonal-Minds-1-1024x585.jpg)
Estrogen, a Hormonal Minds is important for women’s health, also seems to matter a lot for the brain. It helps brain cells grow, connects them better, and keeps the blood flowing in the brain, which might help keep the mind sharp. But when women go through menopause and their estrogen levels drop, their risk of getting dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease (the most common kind of dementia), goes up.
For men, the hormone testosterone is key. When guys have less testosterone, their risk of getting Alzheimer’s can increase. Testosterone is thought to protect the brain by preventing the buildup of harmful plaques and supporting healthy brain cells.
![Hormonal Minds](https://healthandagingbrainstudy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Hormonal-Minds-1024x574.jpg)
![Hormonal Minds](https://healthandagingbrainstudy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Hormonal-Minds-1024x574.jpg)
Cortisol, the stress hormone, is another piece of the puzzle. Too much cortisol for too long can damage brain cells and make it harder to think. High levels of cortisol are also linked to a higher chance of getting dementia.
So, keeping Hormonal Minds balanced is super important for keeping the brain healthy and lowering the risk of dementia. Scientists are still figuring out all the ways hormones and dementia are connected, and they’re looking into how hormone treatments might help prevent or treat dementia in the future.
Sources:
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/blocking-hormone-improves-alzheimers-symptoms-mice, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3058507/#:~:text=Research%20increasingly%20suggests%20that%20changes,most%20common%20type%20of%20dementia.,
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6422548/
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/blocking-hormone-improves-alzheimers-symptoms-mice,