Women to have more brain changes after menopause

Women who have gone through menopause may have more of a brain biomarker called white matter hyperintensities than premenopausal women or men of the same age, according to a new study published in the June 29, 2022, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The study involved 3,410 people with an average age of 54. Of those, 58% were women, and of the women, 59% were postmenopausal. Also, 35% of all participants had high blood pressure and of those, half had uncontrolled high blood pressure.

All participants had MRI brain scans. Researchers looked at the scans and calculated the amount of white matter hyperintensities for each participant. Average total volume for these brain biomarkers was 0.5 milliliters (ml). Average total brain volume was 1,180 ml for men and 1,053 ml for women. Average total white matter volume, the area of the brain where white matter hyperintensities can be found, was 490 ml for men and 430 ml for women.

Researchers found that postmenopausal women had more of these brain biomarkers when compared to men of similar age. In people 45 and older, postmenopausal women had an average total white matter hyperintensities volume of 0.94 ml compared to 0.72 ml for men. Researchers also found that postmenopausal women had more white matter hyperintensities than premenopausal women of similar age. In a group of participants ages 45 to 59, postmenopausal women had an average total volume of white matter hyperintensities of 0.51 ml compared to 0.33 ml for premenopausal women.

There was no difference between postmenopausal and premenopausal women using hormone therapy.  said this finding suggests that hormone therapy after menopause may not have a protective on the brain.

It has been known that high blood pressure, which affects the small blood vessels in the brain, can lead to an increase in white matter hyperintensities. The results of our study demonstrate the necessity to account for different health trajectories for men and women, and menopausal status. Researchers underscores the importance of sex-specific medicine.

Reference: Study finds women have more brain changes after menopause AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY ; Journal Neurology.