Can menopause symptoms help predict risk of dementia?

Hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, urinary tract infections, irregular periods, low libido, trouble sleeping, brain fog, mood swings – and in rare cases, even a burning tongue sensation. What might all these symptoms have in common? They can all be signs of menopause.

But could these symptoms hint at a greater story? New research suggests that menopause symptoms are not just immediate hurdles to overcome; they might also hold clues about a person’s future health, including their risk for conditions like dementia. However, to understand this connection, we must first understand what menopause is and how it affects the brain and body.

What is menopause?

Menopause marks the natural end of a woman’s menstrual periods, typically occurring in their late 40s or early 50s. Officially, menopause describes the specific day when someone has gone a full year without a period.

However, menopause doesn’t happen overnight. It often starts years earlier with a phase called perimenopause. During this time, the body prepares for menopause, and hormone levels – especially estrogen – fluctuate. This transition can last several years, often bringing symptoms like irregular periods, hot flashes, mood swings and more.

Once periods stop completely, a woman enters postmenopause. Unfortunately, symptoms don’t always end here; some may persist for years, and new symptoms may appear.

These stages...

Read more