Postmenopausal confusion

Postmenopausal confusion
Other namesPostmenopausal brain fog, menopause brain fog
SpecialtyGynecology, Midwifery, Neuroscience
SymptomsForgetfulness, difficulty concentrating
Usual onsetMenopause

Postmenopausal confusion, also commonly referred to as postmenopausal brain fog, is a group of symptoms of menopause in which women report problems with cognition at a higher frequency during postmenopause than before.[1][2]

Multiple studies on cognitive performance following menopause have reported noticeable declines in greater than 60% of the patients.[3][4] The common issues presented included impairments in reaction time and attention, difficulty recalling numbers or words, and forgetting reasons for involvement in certain behaviors. Association between subjective cognitive complaints and objective measures of performance show a significant impact on health-related quality of life for postmenopausal women.[5]

Treatment primarily involves symptom management through non-pharmacological treatment strategies. This includes involvement in physical activity and following medically supervised diets, especially those that contain phytoestrogens or resveratrol.[6][7][8][9] Pharmacological interventions in treating postmenopausal confusion are currently being researched. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is currently not indicated for the treatment of postmenopausal confusion due to inefficacy.[10][11] The use of HRT for approved indications has identified no significant negative effect on postmenopausal cognition.[10]

Although much of the literature references women, all people who undergo menopause, including those who do not self-identify as women, may experience symptoms of postmenopausal confusion.

  1. ^ Norton, Amy. "More Evidence Menopause 'Brain Fog' Is Real". WebMD. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  2. ^ Dalal, PronobK; Agarwal, Manu (2015). "Postmenopausal syndrome". Indian Journal of Psychiatry. 57 (6): S222-32. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.161483. ISSN 0019-5545. PMC 4539866. PMID 26330639.
  3. ^ Sliwinski, Jim R; Johnson, Aimee K; Elkins, Gary R (2014). "Memory Decline in Peri- and Post-menopausal Women: The Potential of Mind–Body Medicine to Improve Cognitive Performance". Integrative Medicine Insights. 9: 17–23. doi:10.4137/IMI.S15682. ISSN 1177-3936. PMC 4125424. PMID 25125972.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Maki, Pauline M.; Henderson, Victor W. (2016). "Cognition and the menopause transition". Menopause. 23 (7): 803–805. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000681. ISSN 1072-3714. PMID 27272226.
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