News and Press Releases

Title:
Menopause causes temporary memory loss.

Date Written:
29 Jun 2009

Large study suggests that women going through the menopausal transition experience memory difficulties that subsequently recover.

One of the largest studies into the effect of the perimenopausal period on cognition has demonstrated in a 4 year longitudinal study of 2363 women a negative effect of the perimenopause on cognitive function[ref].

The assessment of cognitive function in this study was performed using three assessment tools, repeatedly applied over the study;

• Processing speed assessed with the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT)


• Verbal memory assessed with the East Boston Memory Test (EBMT)


• Working memory assessed with the Digit Span Backward Test (DSB)

Over the 4 year period women were subdivided according to menopausal status and current or past hormone use. No differences in working memory (DSB) were found between the groups, however significant differences in processing speed and verbal memory were seen. Premenopausal, early perimenopausal and postmenopausal women demonstrated significant increases in processing speed SDMT scores as opposed to late perimenopausal women who did not. Use of the EBMT demonstrated that verbal memory improved in Premenopausal and postmenopausal women but did not improve in either of the perimenopausal groups.

Prior use of hormones was associated with better processing speed (SDMT) and verbal memory (EBMT) than women who had not used hormones across all the different menopause transition groups. Interestingly current hormone use appeared to impair processing speed and verbal memory in the postmenopausal subgroup. The authors postulate that there may be a 'window of opportunity' in which commencement of hormones is able to improve cognitive function.

This study demonstrates the much accepted phenomenon of declining memory during the menopausal transition, a phenomenon that appears to improve once the transition completes. It also suggests that perimenopausal hormone use may improve cognition, an effect not seen in postmenopausal women.

Further studies, preferably with larger, longer term randomised interventional controlled trials are required to confirm these conclusions. The priority for further research must be to establish whether there is a therapeutic window for the administration of hormone therapy as this could significantly affect the decision-making process for many women with cognitive symptoms during the perimenopause.

Edward Morris, Norwich June 25th 2009