Recent research reveals a potential link between menopause and cognitive decline, including Alzheimer's and dementia. Conducted by researchers at the University of Calgary, Canada, the study suggests that individuals experiencing a higher number of menopausal symptoms may face an increased risk of cognitive and behavioral impairments in later years. Despite these findings, there is no definitive evidence establishing a direct cause-and-effect relationship between menopause and dementia, prompting calls for further investigation into this complex association.
The study involved 896 respondents, all postmenopausal, with an average age of 64.2 years. Participants reported an average onset of menopause at 49.4 years, and 666 respondents experienced menopausal symptoms. Notably, 166 individuals used hormone therapy to alleviate these symptoms. The study's lead author, Zahinoor Ismail, FRCPC, highlighted the importance of early interventions, such as hormone therapy, which may help reduce dementia risk for those undergoing early menopause.
“Early interventions, not only hormone therapy but also ‘managing vascular risk factors, reducing inflammation from Western diet and environmental toxins, optimizing gut health and gut biome diversity, and supporting social interactions,’ could help reduce dementia risk.” – Zahinoor Ismail, FRCPC
The study underscores the need for more research to fully understand the interplay between menopause and cognitive health. Robin Noble, MD, Chief Medical Advisor for Let's Talk Menopause, acknowledged the study's significance while noting its limitations due to its retrospective approach.
“This is an important study, as it looks at symptom burden, though it is limited by the retrospective approach — using recall of severity of symptoms — which the authors certainly acknowledge.” – Robin Noble, MD
Somi Javaid, MD, FACOG, emphasized the importance of educating women about menopause's potential impact on brain health and encouraging personalized care.
“Women should be educated about the potential impacts of menopause on their brain health and encouraged to seek care that aligns with their unique needs.” – Somi Javaid, MD, FACOG
Javaid further highlighted the necessity for additional data and the importance of identifying when intervention is needed to prevent disease effectively.
“As with nearly every condition in women, more data is needed.” – Javaid
“If we truly want to move the needle in prevention of disease, rather than chasing it, we must identify when intervention is needed. We begin to see these changes in women in the perimenopausal years. This would support early intervention.” – Javaid
Leave a Reply