Cognitive Changes with Reproductive Aging, Perimenopause, and Menopause

Abstract

This article reviews the role of endogenous estrogen in neural and cognitive processing, followed by an examination of longitudinal cognitive data captured in various stages of the menopausal transition. The remaining text reviews the contradictory results from major hormone therapy trials to date, evidence for the "timing hypothesis," and closes with recommendations for future research and for practicing clinicians.

Keywords: Cognition; Early versus late intervention trial with estradiol; Estrogens; Hormone therapy; Kronos early estrogen prevention study; Menopause; Study of women across the nation; Women’s Health Initiative.