Early menopause may raise risk of dementia later in life

Women who enter menopause very early, before age 40, were found to be more likely to develop dementia of any type later in life compared to women who begin menopause at the average menopause-onset age of 50 to 51 years, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Conference 2022. The meeting will be held in-person in Chicago and virtually Tuesday, March 1 – Friday, March 4, 2022, and offers the latest in population-based science related to the promotion of cardiovascular health and the prevention of heart disease and stroke.

Our study found that women who enter menopause very early were at greater risk of developing dementia later in life. Being aware of this increased risk can help women practice strategies to prevent dementia and to work with their physicians to closely monitor their cognitive status as they age. Dementia can be prevented, and there are a number of ways women who experience early menopause may be able to reduce their risk of dementia. This includes routine exercise, participation in leisure and educational activities, not smoking and not drinking alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough vitamin D and, if recommended by their physician, possibly taking calcium supplements.

Wenting Hao, M.D., a Ph.D. candidate at Shandong University in Jinan, China.

The researchers suggest that lowered estrogen levels may be a factor in the possible connection between early menopause and dementia.

We know that the lack of estrogen over the long term enhances oxidative stress, which may increase brain aging and lead to cognitive impairment.

Wenting Hao

Health care clinicians who care for women should be aware of a woman’s age at menopause onset and closely monitor for cognitive decline in those who reached menopause before age 45.

Further research is needed to assess the added value of including the timing of menopause as a predictor in existing dementia models. This may provide clinicians with a more accurate way to assess a woman’s risk for dementia.

Wenting Hao

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