A study was conducted on the hormone replacement therapy used in women to relieve symptoms of menopause. The treatment consists in a regimen of progestin and estrogen. This latest study suggests that the women who have taken this treatment have considerably smaller frontal brain lobes, which might be an affect of the hormone therapy.

This part of the brain is used for storing memories and even though there is no real connection between brain size and brain function, some of these women experience memory problems. In this new study, women older than 65 were shown to have a decrease in brain volume if they took the hormone therapy.

People’s brains deteriorate and shrink with almost 2% per decade as time flies by and there is no real proof that brain volume actually helps memory or other cognitive processes.

Scientists believe that the hormone replacement therapy might be safe for women under 65, as the women older than this age showed a decrease in their brain volume. Women now on hormone therapy probably have little to fear at this time from the study, as recommendations would exclude any women of the ages looked at in the study from taking hormone therapy.

All in all, the results of the study do point out towards something conclusive, but the results do not seem to favor either side. There is no real proof linking brain volume or hormone therapy to mental degradation, and even though brain shrinkage is an interesting side effect, doctors know best when prescribing the treatment.