Menopause 'triggers loss of brain matter which could explain women's higher dementia risk'

Women look a important nonaccomplishment of grey substance successful the encephalon aft menopause, which whitethorn explicate wherefore they are much apt to endure dementia than men, a caller survey suggests.

Researchers looked astatine 124,780 women to analyse the effects of menopause connected the encephalon and whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) tin forestall cognitive decline.

Among post-menopausal women, they recovered important reductions successful grey encephalon matter, which is captious for intelligence functions, memory, emotions, and movement.

Correspondingly, the worst-affected parts of the encephalon were the ones governing these functions - the hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex, and the anterior cingulate cortex.

Study co-author, Barbara Sahakian of the University of Cambridge, said: "The encephalon regions wherever we saw these differences are ones that thin to beryllium affected by Alzheimer's disease.

"Menopause could marque these women susceptible further down the line. While not the full story, it whitethorn assistance explicate wherefore we spot astir doubly arsenic galore cases of dementia successful women than successful men."

Women relationship for astir two-thirds of radical surviving with Alzheimer's illness successful the UK, according to Michelle Dyson, main enforcement of the Alzheimer's Society.

"And portion we inactive don't afloat recognize wherefore they are much susceptible than men, it is thought that hormones whitethorn play a role," she said.

"This ample survey adds to grounds showing however menopause impacts the brain, including carnal changes specified arsenic nonaccomplishment of encephalon volume.

"But without semipermanent subordinate tracking, to cheque if they aboriginal make dementia, we cannot beryllium definite that these encephalon changes associated with menopause besides summation dementia risk."

The interaction of the menopause connected cognition - including thinking, attention, language, learning, and representation skills - is already documented.

To analyse the relation played by hormones, researchers examined some pre and post-menopausal women, with the second radical subdivided into women who had utilized HRT and those who had ne'er utilized it.

Participants answered questions astir topics similar slumber and whether they suffered slump and anxiety, and immoderate took portion successful cognitive tests to cheque their representation and absorption times

Roughly 11,000 women besides underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, allowing experts to look astatine their encephalon structure.

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Researchers recovered post-menopausal women who were not connected HRT had slower absorption times than those who were, oregon those who had not yet reached the menopause.

The survey besides revealed that post-menopausal women were much apt to endure from insomnia, getting little slumber wide and feeling tired.

Those connected HRT reported feeling the astir bushed of each 3 groups, contempt getting the aforesaid magnitude of slumber arsenic those who were not.

But each post-menopausal women, whether connected HRT oregon not, said they were much bushed than women who had not gone done it.

There was nary important quality betwixt the 3 groups erstwhile it came to show connected representation tasks, however.

Co-author Katharina Zuhlsdorff, besides of the University of Cambridge, said HRT appeared to person a somewhat beneficial effect.

She said: "As we age, our absorption times thin to get slower - it's conscionable a portion of the earthy ageing process and it happens to some women and men.

"You tin ideate being asked a question astatine a quiz - portion you mightiness inactive get astatine the close reply arsenic your younger self, younger radical would nary uncertainty get determination overmuch faster.

"Menopause seems to accelerate this process, but HRT appears to enactment the brakes on, slowing the ageing process slightly."

Her workfellow and co-author Christelle Langley said: "Most women volition spell done menopause, and it tin beryllium a life-changing event, whether they instrumentality HRT oregon not.

"A steadfast manner - exercising, keeping progressive and eating a steadfast diet, for illustration - is peculiarly important during this play to assistance mitigate immoderate of its effects."

Ms Dyson echoed her advice.

She said: "There are steps that women - and men - tin instrumentality contiguous to trim their hazard of dementia, and these see regular exercise, not smoking and reducing intoxicant consumption.

"If you're disquieted astir yourself oregon a loved one, Alzheimer's Society's dementia symptoms checklist is simply a adjuvant archetypal measurement successful starting a speech with your GP."