Integrated Health

MRI study in menopause

A large UK study suggests menopause is linked to brain changes similar to those seen in Alzheimer’s disease, including loss of grey matter in areas responsible for memory, learning, attention and emotional regulation.

The research analysed data from almost 125,000 women, with MRI scans from around 11,000 participants, and found changes in key regions such as the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. Researchers say this may help explain why women face a higher risk of dementia than men, although menopause is not the whole story.

The study, published in Psychological Medicine, also found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) did not appear to prevent grey matter loss, and while women on HRT showed poorer mental health, many already experienced these difficulties before treatment.

Experts stress that more long-term research is needed to understand whether these brain changes lead to dementia, and highlight the importance of supporting women’s mental as well as physical health during menopause.

Read the full article to explore what this could mean for brain health, HRT, and reducing dementia risk.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9qpp1g5ylvo

Menopause linked to Alzheimer's-like brain changes Menopause is linked to a loss of grey matter in regions involved with memory and emotion, study suggests.