A recent study has found that women with type 2 diabetes who have a longer reproductive period from menarche to menopause have a lower risk of dementia. The study suggests that the duration of exposure to female hormones may influence cognitive function protection, as confirmed through a large dataset. Researchers from the Endocrinology Department of Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital and Soongsil University analyzed the correlation between reproductive factors and dementia risk in women with type 2 diabetes, revealing that a longer reproductive period significantly lowers the risk of developing dementia. The research was published in Diabetes Care.
The study utilized the National Health Insurance Service’s big data to track 159,751 postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes over an average of 8.3 years. Throughout the tracking period, 24,218 cases of dementia were identified, with Alzheimer’s disease accounting for 18,819 cases and vascular dementia for 2,743 cases.
The analysis showed that an earlier menarche age and a later menopause age were associated with a lower dementia risk. Women with a reproductive period of more than 40 years had up to a 27% lower overall dementia risk compared to those with less than 30 years. Additionally, undergoing hormone replacement therapy for more than 5 years demonstrated a 17% reduction in dementia risk.
Dementia is rapidly increasing globally, with the World Health Organization estimating over 55 million current cases worldwide and projecting this number to reach 150 million by 2050. In South Korea, the prevalence rate of dementia among seniors over 65 is approximately 9.25%, with women making up 58.8% of the cases.
Diabetes is also identified as a major factor increasing dementia risk, reportedly raising the risk by about 1.7 times according to international research. So far, the impact of reproductive factors like reproductive period, childbirth, breastfeeding history, and hormone therapy on dementia risk in women with type 2 diabetes has not been clearly defined.
This study is significant as it systematically analyzes the relationship between reproductive factors and dementia risk in diabetic women, utilizing a large-scale national cohort and long-term tracking data. Professor Eugene, the first author, noted, “The findings show that hormone exposure throughout life can influence cognitive health in women with diabetes, beyond simply controlling blood sugar levels.” Professor Lee Seung-hwan emphasized the need for a comprehensive risk assessment that includes reproductive history alongside traditional metabolic risk factors when developing dementia prevention strategies. He also highlighted the necessity of further research involving hormone levels, diabetes severity, and neuroimaging data.