Estrogen May Protect Against Parkinson's Disease

A study has found that women who underwent hysterectomy had a threefold increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease and that women who received estrogen after menopause had a 50% reduced risk of developing Parkinson's. Conducted by researchers at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN, USA), the study was published in the September 2001 issue of Movement Disorders.

The researchers reviewed medical records of 72 female patients who developed Parkinson's disease. They focused on the association of Parkinson's with the type of menopause (natural or surgical), age at menopause, and postmenopausal estrogen replacement therapy. The study is the first of its kind to find an association between hysterectomy and Parkinson's disease. A previous study by Mayo Clinic researchers found consistently higher rates of Parkinson's disease in men than in women, providing another clue to support the involvement of hormones in the disease.

"By no means should our study influence a woman to decide against a hysterectomy if her physician is recommending it,” said Dr. Demetrius Maraganore, M.D., a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic and one of the study's authors. "I think women need to consider our findings in the balance of all of the pros and cons of estrogen replacement therapy.”