Positive Health Online

Female hormones like oestrogen and progesterone, influence so much more than just your monthly menstrual cycle. These little chemical messengers are just as much brain hormones as they are sex hormones.

They affect how you think, feel and act.

This is why menopausal hormone shifts can affect you cognitively, psychologically and emotionally. However, there is hope because nutrition and lifestyle habits can be hugely supportive at this time!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Menopause-Brain-Empowering-Knowledge-Confidence/dp/1838957499

Published by Allen & Unwin. ‎ 21 Mar. 2024.  £7.99 / $15.91   ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1838957499

The Great Menopausal Brain Reorganisation Project

In “The Menopause Brain”, the author, neuroscientist Lisa Mosconi presents the brain changes of menopause as a “renovation project”.  The good news in her message is that your brain is in transition rather than decline.  These are some of the brain changes taking place:

• The old links between your brain and ovaries are discarded but new links are formed;
• Your oestrogen receptors reorganise themselves and actually increase in density in certain parts of your brain at this time;
• There is also increased blood flow and production of energy in the brain.

The takeaway – your brain is not shutting down, it’s reorganising itself!

The Downside of Menopausal Brain Mayhem

Knowing there will be a positive outcome the other side of all this, helps when you’re going through brain remodelling. 

However, during the big hormonal shifts of peri and post menopause, increased anxiety, depression, memory issues and declining cognitive skills can all be very real challenges.

There is a genuine increased risk of Alzheimer’s at this stage, if you have a genetic predisposition. A report by Alzheimer’s Research in the UK in 2015 found that of the 850,000 people suffering from dementia, 500,000 of were women.

How to Nourish Your Brain through Menopause

So, what can you do to help manage brain related symptoms at the time of hormone flux? And at the same time, help prevent problems down the line.

Here are some evidence based actions to help build your cognitive reserves now and for the future:

• Make sure you are getting enough omega 3 fats. You may need a fish oil supplement as it’s hard to get enough from diet alone. Omega 3 has a lot of research behind it for cognitive and mood support;[1-3]
• Get plenty of antioxidants from daily vegetable and fruit intake. Oxidative stress puts a lot of wear and tear on your brain and is a key finding in Alzheimer’s disease;
• Hit your fibre quota (30g daily), to keep your gut microbiome healthy. A healthy gut is strongly linked with good mental health. Did you know an avocado will provide half your daily fibre intake?
• Pack in the anti-inflammatory plant foods. Persistent low-grade inflammation in the brain is a contributory factor to dementia & depression;
• A Mediterranean style diet, high in plant foods, low in processed foods, with moderate amounts of fish, poultry, eggs & dairy includes the foods mentioned above and is the best researched for brain health;
• Ginger and turmeric are two foods that are particularly well researched for their anti-inflammatory (as well as blood sugar and cholesterol support) properties. See this Positive Health article for a more in depth look at how these spices help; https://www.positivehealth.com/article/nutrition/3-surprising-store-cupboard-ingredients-that-could-change-your-health-in-peri-menopause
• Aerobic exercise improves blood flow to the brain. Even brisk walking counts;
• Get enough good quality sleep – the importance of sleep for brain health is absolutely critical;
• Manage stress as much as you can;
• Keep socially active, don’t be tempted to retreat from connecting with people. Isolation has significant negative effects on mental and physical health!

Post Menopause Regeneration

There is light at the end of the tunnel. After menopause, many women report that they feel more confident, at peace and comfortable in their own skin. This is backed up by the physiological changes that occur in the brain – the amygdala (emotional centre) is re wired. It down regulates and becomes much less sensitive to things that would have been negative or upsetting before menopause.

There is more emotional stability connected with greater contentment and an increase in joy.

Mindset is Everything

Don’t underestimate the power of mindset either! In parts of Asia, where women have less fear towards the menopause, compared to the West, their symptoms are milder. In Japan, the word for menopause is konenki. Translated literally, this means something like “the renewal and regeneration years.”

Why Does Cognitive Function Decline During the Menopause?

Near the menopause, many women experience mild cognitive symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, mood changes and memory problems. These symptoms are much more subtle than those of dementia. However, they can still be distressing and frustrating, particularly if you are trying to hold down a job or manage a household.

One of the reasons behind cognitive changes such as these, is thought to be linked with a decline in oestrogen around the time of the menopause.  Oestrogen protects your nerve cells against damage and degeneration as well as supporting the growth and functioning of new nerve cells.  

Since mild symptoms may get worse as the years go on, it makes sense to tackle them early. Neurologist Dr Dale Bredesen has done some pioneering research on diet and lifestyle interventions for cognitive decline, with a lot of success. He emphasises the importance of starting as early as you can with these interventions.

Menopause triggers a significant neurological reshuffle, a kind of brain reset.

“Reset” is the good news word here; recent research suggests that, rather than going into decline, the female brain goes through a type of midlife renovation. The takeaway – your brain isn’t shutting down it’s reorganising itself to adapt to different needs in later life!

References

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17101822/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25084680/
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3286229/

Further Reading

Dr Lisa Mosconi, Menopause Brain 2024. Atlantic Books.