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Postmenopausal estrogen use affects risk for Parkinson disease
Lillian J Currie1, Madaline B Harrison, Joel M Trugman
1Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. ljc3u@virginia.edu
Archives of Neurology
|June 24, 2004
Summary
Postmenopausal estrogen therapy may reduce the risk of developing Parkinson disease (PD) in women. Women using estrogen were less likely to develop PD compared to those who did not use it.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Estrogen therapy is linked to cognitive benefits and reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease.
- Previous research has not established a direct link between estrogen therapy and the risk of Parkinson disease (PD) itself.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential differences in estrogen exposure between postmenopausal women with PD and control subjects.
- To determine if postmenopausal estrogen therapy use is associated with the risk of developing PD.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted using questionnaire data from 133 female PD cases and 128 female controls.
- Data were collected via interviews during routine outpatient clinic visits in 1999.
- The main outcome measure was the use of postmenopausal estrogen therapy.
Main Results:
- Significantly fewer women in the PD group used postmenopausal estrogen compared to the control group (25% vs 50%).
- Women who used postmenopausal estrogen were less likely to develop PD (odds ratio, 0.40).
- Among PD cases, estrogen use did not correlate with age of onset.
Conclusions:
- Postmenopausal estrogen therapy may be associated with a reduced risk of developing Parkinson disease in women.
- Further research is warranted to confirm this association and explore underlying mechanisms.