Page 190 - The Memory Program How to Prevent Memory Loss and Enhance Memory Power

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2. May reduce destructive amyloid formation that occurs to a small extent during normal aging
and to a precipitous degree in Alzheimer's disease.
3. May diminish the inflammatory response in the brain. Abnormal immune reactions are
believed to underlie many brain disorders and may contribute to age-related memory loss.
4. Helps to maintain synapses, which are the small gaps between nerve cells bridged by chemical
neurotransmitters. This action may prolong the integrity and life of synapses that normally
decay during the aging process.
5. Has moderate antioxidant properties.
6. Raising estrogen levels in mice improves performance on memory tasks such as remembering
how to traverse a maze.

Types and Dosage of Estrogen

There are different types of estrogen in the blood and in the brain— estriol and estradiol, for
example— but they are all fairly similar in their actions. For postmenopausal women, estrogen ranks
high on my list of medications to prevent age-related memory loss, and as a potential treatment for
mild memory loss. If you have had a hysterectomy, the simplest therapeutic approach is to take
conjugated estrogen, which is marketed as Premarin. The standard Premarin dose is a single tablet of
0.625 mg daily. If you have not had a hysterectomy, it is necessary to add progesterone, which is the
other main female hormone. Combining the two reduces the risk of cancer of the uterus. You can
achieve this by taking a single daily tablet of an estrogen-progesterone combination that contains
0.625 mg Premarin and 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate. There are over a dozen brands of
estrogen-progesterone combinations on the market, but they are all about the same. They are all
prescription medications, and you need to work out the exact doses, as well as the timing sequence of
estrogen and progesterone therapy, with your doctor (internist or gynecologist).

Risks of Estrogen Therapy

Estrogen therapy stimulates estrogen-responsive cells in the breast and uterus, and hence slightly
raises the risk of both breast and uterine cancer. A family history of breast or uterine cancer is a
cautionary