Association of Cumulative Lifetime Exposure to Female Hormones With Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Postmenopausal Women in the UK Biobank

Women with more prolonged exposure to endogenous hormones show relatively smaller burden of cerebral small vessel disease independent of the history of oral contraceptive use or hormone replacement therapy. Our results highlight the critical role endogenous hormones play in female brain health and provide real-world evidence of the protective effects premenopausal endogenous hormone exposure plays on postmenopausal cerebrovascular health.