March 14, 2012

‘Brain Fog’ Of Menopause Confirmed




The study is one of only a handful to analyze in detail a woman´s brain function during menopause and to compare those findings to the woman´s own reports of memory or cognitive difficulties.


Weber´s team found that the women´s complaints were linked to some types of memory deficits, but not others.

Women who had memory complaints were much more likely to do poorly in tests designed to measure what is called “working memory” — the ability to take in new information and manipulate it in their heads. Such tasks in real life might include calculating the amount of a tip after a restaurant meal, adding up a series of numbers in one´s head, or adjusting one´s itinerary on the fly after an unexpected flight change.

Scientists also found that the women´s reports of memory difficulties were associated with a lessened ability to keep and focus attention on a challenging task. That might include doing the taxes, maintaining sharp attention on the road during a long drive, completing a difficult report at work despite boredom, or getting through a particularly challenging book.

Weber notes that such cognitive processes aren´t what typically come to mind when people think of “memory.” Oftentimes, people consider memory to be the ability to tuck away a piece of information, such as a grocery item you need to remember to buy, and to retrieve it later. The team found little evidence that women have problems with this ability. Weber notes, though, that the 75 women in the study were more highly educated and on average of higher intelligence than the general population, and a decline might have been difficult to detect.


Generally anywhere from one-third to two-thirds of women during this stage of life report forgetfulness and other difficulties that they view as related to poor memory.

“If you speak with middle-aged women, many will say, yes, we´ve known this. We´ve experienced this,” said Weber, assistant professor of Neurology. “But it hasn´t been investigated thoroughly in the scientific literature.

“Science is finally catching up to the reality that women don´t suddenly go from their reproductive prime to becoming infertile. There is this whole transition period that lasts years. It´s more complicated than people have realized.”

“People are surprised to learn that typically, for example in elderly adults, there really isn´t a lot of evidence that memory complaints are tied to real memory deficits. Menopausal women are different. They are good at rating their memory skills,” added co-author Pauline Maki, Ph.D., director of Women´s Mental Health Research in UIC´s Department of Psychiatry.

“We don´t know why but perhaps it´s because their memory changes are more sudden and they are aware of other changes that accompany the menopause, like hot flashes. This might help them to better assess their mental abilities,” Maki added.




“When someone gives you a new piece of information, it might be helpful to repeat it out loud, or for you to say it back to the person to confirm it — it will help you hold onto that information longer,” Weber said. “Make sure you have established that memory solidly in the brain.

“You need to do a little more work to make sure the information gets into your brain permanently. It may help to realize that you shouldn´t expect to be able to remember everything after hearing it just once.”



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