How Much Do You Know About Menopause and the Brain?

Women who had hormone-related mood changes, like PMS or postpartum depression, earlier in life are at increased risk of mood issues during perimenopause. Talk to your doctor to find out if you’ve started perimenopause and to discuss treatments.

Brain fog during menopause is a result of decreasing levels of the hormone estrogen. It is not dementia or cognitive decline, and it doesn’t mean that you will get dementia or Alzheimer's later in life.

While earlier studies suggested that menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) carried health risks, newer research shows MHT’s benefits, such as fewer mood swings and hot flashes. Benefits generally outweigh risks for women under 60 or who are within 10 years of starting menopause. MHT is not usually recommended for women with a history of breast or endometrial cancer, stroke, heart attack, blood clots or liver disease. 

While brain changes during menopause may seem scary, memory and attention issues are usually temporary and improve after menopause, even without hormone therapy.

Antidepressants, hormone therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy may all be helpful for mood swings during menopause. For minor mood shifts, lifestyle changes —such as good sleep hygiene; exercise; and a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean diet — can help.