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| Study suggests that severe menopause symptoms could be early signs of dementia |
A recent study conducted by the University of Calgary suggests that experiencing severe symptoms during menopause might serve as an early indicator for dementia.
Dr. Zahinoor Ismail, a professor at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, shared that this insight emerged from an ongoing study called CAN-PROTECT, focusing on Canadian brains and aging.
Dr. Ismail's interest in menopause's impact dates back to a medical case in 2001 when a woman with various cognitive and psychiatric symptoms turned out to be in early menopause. Instead of treating her neurological and psychiatric conditions, normalizing her estrogen levels resolved her symptoms, sparking the idea for this study.
The research encompasses 2,400 participants across Canada, who respond to inquiries about various aspects of their health and lifestyle. Among them, data from 800 individuals are utilized to examine menopause's effects on the brain, with initial findings presented at the Canadian Conference on Dementia.
The study scrutinizes menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and cognitive issues such as memory loss and inattention, as these symptoms appearing in mid-life and persisting could indicate a risk for dementia.
Results indicated that the more menopausal symptoms a woman experienced, the more impaired she tended to be. Interestingly, those who underwent estrogen-based treatments during menopause exhibited fewer neuropsychiatric symptoms compared to those who didn’t.
Despite previous concerns about hormone replacement therapy increasing stroke risk, subsequent studies have challenged this, leading to renewed advocacy for its benefits for menopausal women.
Dr. Ismail noted a growing interest in hormone therapy once again, reflecting both clinical observations and study data, suggesting a potential shift in how menopausal symptoms are managed.