Scientists "Discover" Brain Fog During Menopause

Many women in their 40s and 50s experience bouts of forgetfulness and "brain fog" (poor concentration). Too often, doctors dismiss those problems. Hey, catch up to the science, MDs. A new study proves they're real.

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center and the University of Illinois at Chicago tested 75 women from age 40 to 60, and found many of the women had problems with "working memory" (the ability to take in new information and manipulate it, like figuring out a tip) and with concentration on a challenging task (like doing your taxes).

"The most important thing to realize is that there really are some cognitive changes that occur during this phase in a woman's life," said Miriam Weber, PhD, the study leader. "If a woman approaching menopause feels she is having memory problems, no one should brush it off or attribute it to a jam-packed schedule.

"She can find comfort in knowing that there are new research findings that support her experience," Dr. Weber continued. "She can view her experience as normal."

See the full article at EurekAlert.com.

Reference

"Reconciling subjective memory complaints with objective memory performance in the menopausal transition." Weber, MT, et al., Menopause. 2012 Jul;19(7):735-41.