[Depression, menopause and hormonal replacement therapy (HRT)]

The ovarian failure and the termination of reproductive female functions could influence the mental neurotransmission and the cognitive activity of menopausal women; female menopausal brain, one of the favorite estrogens target, could suffer of a negative homeostasis modification, affecting the daily behavior. So, neurotransmissive degeneration could expose aged women to some psychological disturbances, some of these frequently associated to hypoestrogenic hot flushes rise. Many studies showed the estrogen influence on female brain, and tried to explain how the hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), act on mood, life energy and cognitive activities. Although brain estrogenic activity seems to establish a useful role on neuromodulation and on the prevention of some psychopathologies, the conventional administration of HRT, improves the mood and menopausal female well-being, but it does not act on clinically depressed women.