▁as ▁swe ating ▁and ▁sending ▁blood ▁closer ▁to ▁the ▁body ' s ▁surface ▁where ▁the ▁blood ▁can ▁be ▁co o led . ▁Post men op aus al ▁sympt oms ▁such ▁as ▁hot ▁flush es ▁and ▁night ▁swe ats ▁initi ated ▁by ▁the ▁fl uct u ation ▁in ▁end orph ins , ▁may ▁cause ▁stress , ▁leading ▁to ▁neg ativity , ▁de pression , ▁and ▁anx iety , ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁can ▁lead ▁to ▁cogn itive ▁decl ine . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁cell ular ▁level , ▁o estro gen ▁bind s ▁to ▁nuclear ▁re cept ors , ▁such ▁as ▁o estro gen ▁re cept ors ▁ER ▁α / β , ▁and ▁acts ▁as ▁a ▁trans cription ▁factor . ▁It ▁increases ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁anti - ap opt otic ▁prote ins ▁and ▁prevents ▁the ▁init iation ▁of ▁apo pt osis . ▁ ▁It ▁also ▁activ ates ▁ant io x id ants ▁which ▁work ▁as ▁def enses ▁reducing ▁negative ▁factors ▁such ▁as ▁gl ut ath ione ▁levels ▁and ▁ox id ative ▁DNA ▁damage ▁in ▁mit och ond ria . ▁This ▁program med ▁cell ▁death ▁and ▁other ▁damage ▁of ▁mit och ond ria ▁has ▁long ▁been ▁found ▁as ▁a ▁key ▁mechanism ▁in ▁Al z heimer ' s . ▁ ▁The ▁decl ine ▁in ▁est rog ens ▁during ▁men op ause , ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁produces ▁a ▁decrease ▁in ▁gl uc ose , ▁is ▁shown ▁in ▁the ▁pre font al ▁cor tex ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁posterior ▁c ing ulate . ▁Al z heimer ' s ▁patients ▁have