Menopause at an Early Age Can Exacerbate Cognitive Decline

What: A study of over 8,000 patients found that women who started menopause before age 40 had worse outcomes on cognitive tests compared to those who started menopause after age 50. The study aimed to understand if early menopause directly influences cognitive function and depressive symptoms, known dementia risk factors.

Key Line: “The results imply that women who experience early menopause may constitute a sex-specific high-risk group for cognitive decline. ‘Understanding this relationship in-depth could potentially help us design treatments that delay the onset of dementia,’ says lead author Miharu Nakanishi.”