A recent study has found that the more burdensome menopausal symptoms are, the higher the risk of dementia. The research, which examined the link between menopausal symptoms, women’s quality of life, and dementia risk, was published in PLOS One.
Menopause typically occurs in women between 45 and 55, marking the end of the reproductive years when the ovaries stop releasing eggs. A variety of physical and emotional changes, such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, mood swings, and weight gain often accompanies this natural life stage.
Menopausal symptoms vary widely from woman to woman, and for some, they can be severe enough to impact daily life significantly.
Researchers at the University of Calgary analyzed medical data from 896 women using the Canadian Online Research Platform for Health, Quality of Life, Cognition, Behavior, Function, and Care (CAN-PROTECT) to investigate how the severity of menopausal symptoms affects the risk of dementia. The team assessed each woman’s menopausal symptoms and how these symptoms impacted her quality of life through surveys.
The survey included questions about irregular periods, hot flashes, chills, vaginal dryness, weight gain, slowed metabolism, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and forgetfulness. Dementia risk was assessed using the ECOg II, a scale measuring daily functional impairment, and the MBI-C, which evaluates mild cognitive impairment.
The study revealed that women who reported a greater burden from menopausal symptoms were more likely to experience cognitive and behavioral issues. A dose-dependent relationship was also observed: the more symptoms negatively impacted quality of life, the more severe the cognitive and behavioral dysfunction.
The researchers also conducted a subgroup analysis of women who underwent hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopausal symptoms. The results showed that women on HRT had a lower rate of daily functioning problems, but their cognitive function was similar to those who did not receive HRT.
However, the researchers noted that since behavioral disorders are a known risk factor for dementia, HRT could potentially help reduce the overall risk of developing dementia.
Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that a greater burden from menopausal symptoms is associated with a higher risk of dementia and that hormone replacement therapy might help mitigate this risk.
