Written by Brigette Ann Hobbs
Estrogen—we’ve all heard of the hormone by now. Whether you came across it in school, on the news, or through social media, discussions surrounding estrogen seem to be everywhere nowadays. Estrogen plays a role in reproductive health, sexual development, bone density, metabolism, skin health, and more. However, a lesser known function of estrogen is its impact on our brain health.
While many of us are aware that during menopause, estrogen begins to fluctuate significantly, with a general trend of lowered levels over time. These lowered levels often cause some very uncomfortable symptoms, such as night sweats, mood changes, and irregular periods. Additionally, research has shown that low estrogen levels actually can decrease gray matter within the brain. What is gray matter you ask? Gray matter is the part of the brain that receives, processes, and stores information. Decreased gray matter is commonly associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia, which are conditions that primarily inhibit the brain’s memory and reasoning abilities. Now, it is important to note that low estrogen can occur during any age, not just during menopause. Low estrogen can also be caused by breastfeeding, cancer treatments, over exercise, chronic stress, and low body weight.
On the other hand, a recent study at the Heller Lab at the University of Pennsylvania has discovered that high estrogen is actually associated with an increased vulnerability to chronic stress and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to Hokenson, Rodriguíez-Acevedo, Chen, Short, Samrari, Devireddy, Jensen, Winter, Gall, Soma, Heller, and Baram (2026), high levels of estrogen can interact with chromatin in the hippocampus, which can increase the brain’s plasticity to certain events. This essentially means that the brain may amplify the processing of traumatic memories and chronic stress. High estrogen levels can occur in both men and women, ultimately increasing the chance of the developing of PTSD.
So…that was a lot of information, right? I bet you're wondering what you can do to prevent either of these outcomes. A great place to start is understanding the lifestyle choices that can support your current and long-term health. Keeping your body moving is a great way to protect your estrogen levels and brain health, as well as reduce stress. The best part is that it can be anything you enjoy doing! Whether you do some dancing, gardening, a light walk, or hitting the gym, all movement is good movement. Another way you can support your hormonal and cognitive health is to incorporate healthy fats into your diet. Flax seeds, salmon, olive oil, avocado, and really anything you enjoy that comes up after searching “healthy fats” online are an amazing way to support long-term wellness.
Understanding estrogen is essential to connecting the dots between physical health, mental health, and overall quality of life. At Carrying For Care, we believe conversations like these are an important part of creating greater awareness, support, and advocacy for women’s health.
Works Cited
LCMC Health. (2023, March 1). LCMC Health. https://www.lcmchealth.org/blog/2023/march/how-estrogen-levels-in-women-protect-brain-funct/
Hokenson RE, Rodríguez-Acevedo KL, Chen Y, Short AK, Samrari SA, Devireddy B, Jensen BJ, Winter JJ, Gall CM, Soma KK, Heller EA, Baram TZ. Hippocampal estrogen levels, receptor types, and epigenetics contribute to sex-specific memory vulnerabilities to concurrent acute stresses. Neuron. 2026 Apr 15;114(8):1454-1472.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2025.12.037. Epub 2026 Feb 3. PMID: 41638202; PMCID: PMC13001641.
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