Menopause may affect brain health, triggering Alzheimer's-like changes

Menopause is a natural process that every woman goes through in her late 40s. What if menopause is linked with brain health? Such a connection can be disturbing.

To one’s surprise, the new research study has found a link in which scientists have witnessed Alzheimer's-like changes in the brain and loss of grey matter when women hit menopause.

The health experts at the University of Cambridge conducted a large-scale study in which they examined the neurological impacts in women.

The study involving 125,000 women, revealed that menopause is connected with a loss of grey matter in areas which deal with emotions and memory, and movement, thereby putting women at greater risks of Alzheimer’s than men.

According to Prof Barbara Sahakian, senior author from Cambridge University, “The brain regions where we saw these differences are ones that tend to be affected by Alzheimer's disease.”

“Menopause could make these women vulnerable further down the line. While not the whole story, it may help explain why we see almost twice as many cases of dementia in women than in men,” she added.

As per findings published in the journal Psychological Medicine, the brain changes occur in following parts:

• The Hippocampus which is important for memory and learning
• The anterior cingulate cortex, helping with regulating emotions and attentions
• The entorhinal cortex, having role in developing memories and spatial navigation

Besides physiological and neurological change, the research also shed light on how menopause can worsen mental health issues and cause anxiety, depression, and irregular sleep patterns. Moreover, it affects cognitive abilities.

To manage these symptoms, the NHS recommends Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT). However, the study reveals that HRT use did not seem to prevent grey matter loss.

Michelle Dyson from the Alzheimer's Society said, "And while we still don't fully understand why they are more susceptible than men, it is thought that hormones may play a role.”

"This large study adds to evidence showing how menopause impacts the brain, including physical changes such as loss of brain volume.

In the UK, among all the people suffering from Alzheimer's, women account for two-third majority.