# Birth Control and Hormone Therapy May Leave a Lasting Mark on Women's Brains

*Lifespan Exposure to Hormone Therapies and Structural Brain Morphometry in Older Women.*

- **Evidence Level**: Moderate
- **Publication Types**: Journal Article
- **Journal**: NeuroImage
- **Sample Size**: 459 women aged 65-80
- **Authors**: Honea RA, Watts A, Donofry SD, Molina-Hidalgo C, Ripperger HS, Aghjayan SL, Kang C, Gujral S, Oberlin LE, Grove G, Huang H, Sutton BP, Burns JM, Vidoni ED, Kramer AF, McAuley E, Hillman CH, Marsland AL, Kamboh MI, Erickson KI
- **Published**: 2026-05-02
- **Topics**: brain aging, hormones, women's health
- **DOI**: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2026.121974
- **Original Source**: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42082089/

## Summary

In women aged 65 to 80, those who had used birth control pills earlier in life had more gray matter in several brain regions. Combining birth control with menopausal hormone therapy was linked to even greater volume and thicker cortex. Later menopause, meaning more natural hormone exposure, also tracked with healthier brain structure. Timing of hormone exposure may matter for long-term brain aging.

## Practical Takeaway

This study suggests lifetime hormone exposure may shape brain aging, though it cannot prove cause and effect.

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