Menopause: HRT鈥檚 brain-protecting effect may be overstated

Many women expect hot flushes, dry skin and night sweats when they reach the menopause. But the effect the menopause can have on the brain is rarely mentioned. This is something a recent Channel 4 documentary presented by Davina McCall explored.

The documentary, called , discussed how the menopause can cause a range of brain-related symptoms, including brain fog, mood changes and memory problems. It also suggested that taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) some years before the menopause may be the solution to these problems – alongside potentially halving a woman’s risk of developing dementia.

With around 4.4 million women of working age going through the menopause in the UK, it’s clear that we need solutions to help those suffering from brain-related and other menopause symptoms. But HRT might not live up to what the documentary suggested it to be.

Brain changes

 experience measurable changes in brain function during menopause – especially to their memory. These changes typically occur in the early stages, during perimenopause (the transitional period before menopause, typically between 40 and 44 years of age when oestrogen levels begin to drop and the frequency and intensity of periods start changing).

This is something the documentary touched on, with one doctor using brain scans of perimenopausal women to show that brain activity was 25% lower compared with premenopausal women (the time before perimenopause). However, the documentary did not show viewers that these brain changes are  – often reversing a couple of years after reaching the menopause – when a woman no longer has periods. This is typically between 45 and 55 years of age.

These temporary brain changes may be caused by other menopause symptoms that can , such as night sweats. Since sleep plays an important role in brain function, not sleeping properly could lead to concentration and memory problems. No evidence to date has conclusively shown whether or not the hormonal changes that happen during this period are the cause of brain changes in humans.

While there is  that HRT can help reduce the severity of some menopause symptoms (including hot flushes and night sweats), it’s less certain whether such treatments have any long-term benefit on .

Continues…

For the full article co-authored by Professor Eef Hogervorst, Dr Emma O'Donnell and Professor Rebecca Hardy, visit

Notes for editors

Press release reference number: 22.86

天堂视频 is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2022 QS World University Rankings and University of the Year for Sport by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2022.

天堂视频 is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 7th in The UK Complete University Guide 2022, and 10th in both the Guardian University League Table 2022 and the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.

天堂视频 is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, 天堂视频 has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

The 天堂视频 London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

Categories