With millions of people worldwide living with dementia and no cure in sight, researchers are keenly focused on finding ways to prevent or delay cognitive decline.
A new study suggests that severe menopause symptoms, like hot flashes and depression, could negatively affect brain function in women after menopause.
The study, published in the journal Menopause, explored how these symptoms might be linked to cognitive impairment, which includes difficulties with memory, attention, language, and decision-making.
Dementia is becoming more common as the global population ages. Every year, around 4.6 million new cases are diagnosed, which means someone is diagnosed with dementia every seven seconds. By 2040, experts predict the number of dementia cases will double, reaching over 81 million people.
The good news is that about 40% of Alzheimer’s disease cases, the most common form of dementia, can be prevented or at least delayed. This has led to growing interest in identifying factors that could increase or decrease the risk of cognitive decline.
Recent research highlights the importance of estradiol, a form of estrogen, in protecting cognitive function as women age. During menopause, estrogen levels drop, which may increase the risk of dementia in postmenopausal women.
In this study, nearly 1,300 women from nine Latin American countries who were well into their postmenopausal years were examined. The findings suggest that severe menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, sleep problems, and mood disturbances, were associated with cognitive impairment. However, it remains unclear whether treating these symptoms with hormone therapy or other treatments can improve cognitive function.
The study also found that other factors, like maintaining a healthy body weight, having a higher level of education, exercising regularly, using hormone therapy, and staying sexually active, might help protect brain health in menopausal women.
Dr. Stephanie Faubion, the medical director for The Menopause Society, emphasized the importance of these findings: “This study showed a potential link between severe menopause symptoms and cognitive impairment in midlife women. The results also suggest that certain lifestyle choices and treatments may help protect cognitive function, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to support brain health during menopause.”
Overall, the study suggests that while severe menopause symptoms may pose a risk to brain health, there are steps women can take to potentially safeguard their cognitive function as they age.
If you care about brain health, please read studies that eating apples and tea could keep dementia at bay, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health.
For more health information, please see recent studies what you eat together may affect your dementia risk, and time-restricted eating: a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
