More Evidence Menopause ‘Brain Fog’ Is Real

Those memory lapses many women notice around menopause are real, and they can begin at a relatively young age, researchers report.

It’s common for women going through menopause to complain of what researchers sometimes call “brain fog” — forgetfulness, and difficulty concentrating and thinking clearly.

And while those complaints are subjective, a number of studies have also shown they can be objectively detected.

Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston said the new study builds on that objective evidence.

It found that, yes, a woman’s performance on certain memory tasks tends to dip as her estrogen levels drop — and it happens during the average age range of menopause: 45 to 55. Menopause is defined as when a woman’s menstrual period stops, confirmed when she has missed her period for 12 consecutive months.

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