Early Bilateral Oophorectomy Increases Risk of Alzheimer Disease
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Dec. 13, 2024 -- Women with early bilateral oophorectomy (BO) are at high risk of Alzheimer disease (AD) compared to women with spontaneous menopause, according to a study published online in the November issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Noelia Calvo, Ph.D., from University of Toronto, and colleagues examined prevalence and predictors of AD in women with early BO compared to women with spontaneous menopause. Analysis included U.K. Biobank data from 34,603 women (aged ≥60 years).
The researchers found that women with early BO had quadrupled odds of developing AD (odds ratio [OR], 4.12) versus women with spontaneous menopause. Increased odds in the BO group were seen for carriers of apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4; OR, 4.29) and those with older age (OR, 1.16). For both BO (OR, 0.91) and spontaneous menopause (OR, 0.95), greater years of education were associated with reduced odds of AD. Ever use of hormone therapy (HT) was associated with decreased odds of AD only for the BO group (OR, 0.43).
"Women with early BO, particularly with an APOE4 allele, are at high risk of AD. Women with early BO who use HT and those with increased education have lower odds of developing AD," the authors write. "Broadly, this work underscores the importance of continued research into the effects of estrogens on cognition and odds of AD for all women and contributes to a greater understanding of sex differences in AD."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted December 2024
Read this next
ENDO: Superior Weight Loss Seen With Tirzepatide and Menopausal Hormone Therapy Use
TUESDAY, July 15, 2025 -- In postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity receiving tirzepatide, use of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is associated with superior weight loss...
Gabapentin for Back Pain Linked to Increased Risk for Dementia, MCI
FRIDAY, July 11, 2025 -- For adults with chronic low back pain, gabapentin prescription is associated with an increased risk for dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI)...
Lead Exposure Linked to Faster Rate of Forgetting Among Children
FRIDAY, July 11, 2025 -- Developmental lead (Pb) exposure is associated with an increased rate of forgetting among children, according to a study published online July 9 in...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.