Menopause has effects similar to those of Alzheimer’s, a new study concludes: the phase is associated with the loss of gray matter, vital for mental functions, memory, emotions and movement. Hormone replacement therapy helps.
The is linked to the loss of gray matter and brain changes similar to those seen in , indicates an investigation this Tuesday in Psychological Medicine from the University of Cambridge.
According to the study, this could explain why women are more prone to dementia than men.
The research aimed to understand the effects of menopause on the brain and whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) helps prevent cognitive decline. The cases of almost 125,000 women were analyzedclassified into three categories: pre-menopause, post-menopause who never used hormonal therapy and post-menopause who used HRT.
In addition to answering questionnaires with questions related to the menopause experience, self-reported mental health, sleep patterns and general health, some participants took cognitive tests, including memory and reaction time tests. Around 11,000 were also subjected to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, allowing researchers to analyze the structure of their brains.
It turned out that the Menopause is associated with the loss of gray matter, vital for mental functions, memory, emotions and movement, and can also cause anxiety, depression and sleep problems.
Among participants, the average age at onset of menopause was approximately 49.5 yearswhile the average age at which women who were prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) started treatment was around 49 years.
No significant differences were observed between the three groups in terms of memory performance, but the study reveals that postmenopausal women who were not taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) had slower reaction times than those who had not yet entered menopause or who were undergoing therapy.
“As we age, our reaction times tend to slow down, this is part of the natural aging process and happens to both women and men”, points out Katharina Zuhlsdorff, from the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge, cited by the Spanish news agency EFE.
“Imagine a question on a questionnaire. Although everyone can come up with the correct answer, younger people will undoubtedly find it much more quickly. Menopause appears to accelerate this processbut hormone replacement therapy seems to slow it down slightly,” he adds.
Christelle Langley, from the Department of Psychiatry at the same university, states, quoted on the university’s website, that “the majority of women will go through menopause” and that “this can be a life-changing event, regardless of whether they take hormone replacement therapy or not”.
Calling to be “more sensitive not only to the physical health, but also to the mental health of women during menopause” and to recognize that “they are facing difficulties”, Langley argues that “a healthy lifestyle”, staying active, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly, “is particularly important during this period to help minimize some of its effects”.
According to experts, it can also help women reduce the risk of developing dementia.
