More than 60 percent of women experience brain fog at some point during perimenopause or menopause, says Dr. Lisa Mosconi, neuroscientist and author The Menopause Brain (out March 12). When women experience this brain fog, they often fear it’s a sign of something worse. “Many women are terrified of developing early-onset dementia,” she says. “But menopause is a neuroendocrine transition—it’s a stage of life that affects your brain as much as your ovaries.” In this week’s issue PEOPLE, dr. Mosconi answers our questions about this common, frustrating symptom.
What causes brain fog?” Your risk of brain fog is higher if you have night sweats and disturbed sleep, but it’s more than that. Physiological changes in the brain in response to fluctuating hormone levels include inflammation, changes in the amount of neurotransmitters produced, changes in oxygen levels and glucose metabolism. All of these affect cognition. I want women to know, ‘Don’t lose your mind. It’s not all in your head.’ Your brain goes through a transition and a transformation. The brain actually reshapes itself during menopause.”
Dr. Lisa Mosconi, author of the book ‘The Menopausal Brain’.
Penguin Audio; Photo by Allison Hooban
How does it affect women?” Hormonal brain fog makes your brain feel exhausted even when your body isn’t. Decreased focus, memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, shorter attention span, general forgetfulness, struggle for the right words. Also, women are great multitaskers. in general, but simple multitasking like answering the phone while typing can become challenging. I wish women would understand that even during menopause, when you feel like your performance isn’t nearly as good as it used to be, the average woman and still outperforms men of the same age and educational level [on cognitive tests].”
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How do you know if it’s something more serious?” If it doesn’t go away and you’re otherwise healthy, I recommend a cognitive test. We can do a standardized test called the MoCA and it reassures a lot of people. For women with a family history of Alzheimer’s who are concerned, I would do a brain scan. But you can’t just go to your doctor and ask for it. You might have to join a research program or an Alzheimer’s prevention clinic.”
Can brain fog be treated?” Estrogen is a neuroprotective hormone,” says Dr. Mosconi, whose book comes out March 12. “It keeps your brain active.” We are investigating hormone replacement therapy [HRT]. There isn’t a ton of research yet. . . but we see that it can improve cognition. While brain fog is not an FDA-approved indication for HRT, some providers offer hormones when brain fog occurs along with other symptoms such as hot flashes. But exercise is the first line of attack. It is good for brain health and has been linked to a reduced risk of dementia. Diet is number two. So, especially diets that support gut health, because the microbiome can affect your cognitive health and mood. And we know that problems with the digestive system can cause brain fog. You want to have fiber. You want to have non-digestible carbohydrates like oligosaccharides which are food for the microbes in your gut. You want to eat prebiotic and probiotic foods. And all these wonderful nutrients come from plants. So, a plant-based diet, I’m not saying vegan, vegetarian. Just continue your plant game. It’s also important to do this during menopause because fiber has an important regulatory effect on estrogen levels as well.”
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Will it end?” Cognitive changes are usually temporary. Brain fog can last for a few years after your last period. But then it goes away for the vast majority. The clouds part and your brain starts working again. And on average, postmenopausal women are happier than their younger counterparts. colleague. You value yourself better. You know yourself better. You have less patience for a bunch of nonsense. And studies have shown that a part of your brain called the amygdala changes its activity pattern. The amygdala is the center of our emotional regulation, and it’s the part that makes you strong happy when something happy happens to you. You get really nervous when something sad happens to you. After menopause, the negative part of the amygdala is down. So it will still make you very happy about happy things, in response to happy things, but negative things it won’t bother you as much. And I think that’s really a plus. The menopausal brain goes through hell, but it’s likely to come out wiser, stronger and more content.”
For more from Dr. Mosconi on menopausal brain fog, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, available now.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education