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New research finds link between menopause and reduce brain gray matter.
This finding may explain why women face a higher risk of dementia than men.
experts are Cambridge University A large-scale study was conducted to explore the effects of this life stage on the nervous system.
The study involving 124,780 women showed that menopause is associated with the loss of gray matter, the key tissue responsible for mental function, memory, mood and movement.
In addition to this physiological change, research highlights that menopause can exacerbate problems such as anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances, while also having known effects on cognitive abilities such as thinking, concentration, language and learning.
Further analysis delved into the potential protective effects of Hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The findings suggest that postmenopausal women who are not on hormone replacement therapy respond more slowly than women who are not yet menopausal or are currently using hormone replacement therapy.
However, the study found no significant differences in memory task performance among the three different groups.
published in journal psychological medicinethe survey divided participants into premenopausal, postmenopausal HRT never users, and postmenopausal HRT users.
Data were collected through questionnaires targeting sleep, depression and anxiety, supplemented by cognitive assessments targeting memory and reaction time.
About 11,000 women also underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans so experts could see the structure of their brains.
The average age of menopause in women is 49, and women on HRT start treatment around this age.
Studies have found that postmenopausal women are more likely to experience insomnia, overall sleep deprivation and feeling tired.
Women taking hormone replacement therapy reported feeling the most tired of the three groups, even though they slept the same amount as women not taking hormone replacement therapy. All postmenopausal women, whether taking hormone replacement therapy or not, said they were more tired than women who had not experienced hormone replacement therapy.
Menopause can also affect cognition.
Dr Katarina Zuelsdorf, from the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge, said: “As we age, our reaction times tend to slow down – this is part of the natural aging process and occurs in both women and men.
“You can imagine being asked a question on a quiz – while you might still get the answer right when you’re younger, younger people will undoubtedly get the answer faster.
“Menopause seems to speed up the process, but hormone replacement therapy seems to put the brakes on and slow down the aging process slightly.”
Researchers found a significant reduction in gray matter volume in postmenopausal women.
In particular, these differences occurred in the hippocampus (which plays an important role in learning and memory), the entorhinal cortex (critical for forming memories and spatial navigation), and the anterior cingulate cortex (which helps with attention and regulating emotions).
Professor Barbara Sahakian, from the Department of Psychiatry and senior author of the study, said: “We see these differences in areas of the brain that tend to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
“Menopause may make these women more vulnerable. While that’s not the whole story, it may help explain why we see almost twice as many cases of dementia in women than men.”
Michelle Dyson, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said women accounted for around two-thirds of people with Alzheimer’s in the UK.
“While we still don’t fully understand why they are more susceptible than men, it is thought hormones may play a role,” she said.
“This large study adds to the evidence of how menopause affects the brain, including physical changes such as reduced brain volume.
“But without following participants over time to check whether they later develop dementia, we won’t know for sure whether these menopause-related brain changes also increase the risk of dementia.
“There are steps women and men can take today to reduce their risk of dementia, including exercising regularly, not smoking and reducing alcohol consumption.
“If you are worried about yourself or a loved one, the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Symptom Checklist is a useful first step in starting a conversation with your GP.”
The researchers also found that women taking hormone replacement therapy were more likely to experience poor mental health, but their analysis showed they already had poor mental health before receiving the medication.
Dr Christelle Langley, from the Department of Psychiatry, said: “Most women will go through menopause, whether they are on hormone replacement therapy or not, and it can be a life-changing event.
“Healthy lifestyle practices – such as exercising, staying active and eating healthy – are particularly important during this period to help mitigate some of its effects.”
Dr Louise Newson, GP and female hormone expert, said: “Many women report changes in memory and concentration before and after menopause, and this study suggests these symptoms may have a biological basis, rather than being seen as aging or stress, highlighting the importance of menopause as an important time for brain health and timely, personalized care.”