Research: Premature menopause is associated with an increased risk of dementia

Women who enter menopause very early, before the age of 40, are much more likely to develop dementia later in life.

This, compared to those who go through menopause at the average age of 50-51, according to a new Sino-British scientific study.

Menopause Research

The researchers, led by Wending Hao of Shandong University in China, who made the announcement at an American Heart Association epidemiological conference in Chicago, analyzed data from 153,291 women in Britain with an average age of 60. The diagnosis of any type of dementia (Alzheimer’s, vascular, etc.) was associated with the age of menopause.

Women who went through menopause before the age of 40 were found to be 35% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia later on. Those who entered menopause before age 45 were 1.3 times more likely to have dementia before age 65. Those who went through menopause after age 52 had a similar chance of developing dementia as those who went through menopause between ages 50 and 51.

Although women are at greater risk after menopause for stroke (which can lead to vascular dementia), the new study found no correlation between age at menopause and risk of vascular dementia.

Menopause and dementia

“Dementia is preventable and there are several ways that women with premature menopause can reduce their risk of dementia, including exercising regularly, participating in recreational and educational activities, quitting smoking and drinking alcohol, and maintaining a normal weight.” . If your doctor recommends it, take calcium supplements,” Hao said.

The researchers estimated that the drop in estrogen levels after menopause may be the cause of the link between premature menopause and dementia. “We know that long-term lack of estrogen increases oxidative stress, which can accelerate brain aging and lead to cognitive decline,” Hao said. She added that doctors should closely monitor any symptoms of cognitive decline in women who reach menopause before the age of 45.

Dementia causes serious changes in the brain, impairing a person’s ability to remember, make decisions, and speak. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease and the second most common is vascular dementia, both of which are more common in old age. Other diseases that affect areas of the brain can also cause dementia, while one can have dementia from not just one cause, but more.

source: iefi merida