Could an estrogen patch cut Alzheimer's risk among newly postmenopausal women?

According to new findings from researchers at the Mayo Clinic, it could be. The team used data from the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study, which looked at healthy and younger women's reaction to menopausal hormone therapy, to explore the therapy's effects five to 36 months after menopause, when estrogen loss is swift.

They found that women who wore estrogen patches had fewer deposits of beta-amyloid, the plaque found in brains damaged by Alzheimer's disease, according to findings published this month in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.