Subjective cognition and objective cognitive performance in early versus late perimenopause

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Women's Health
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Menopause-related cognitive difficulties, or "brain fog," are frequently reported during perimenopause.
• Hormonal fluctuations during menopause are suspected to affect cognitive function, but direct comparisons across perimenopause stages are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in subjective cognitive complaints and objective cognitive performance between early and late perimenopause stages.
• To examine cognitive function across the menopause transition using updated STRAW +10 criteria.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of data from 687 participants in the Menopause and Cognition Online Study (Meno-COG).
• Assessment of self-reported memory complaints, objective cognitive performance, menopause symptoms, and mood.
• Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate the cognitive test battery structure.

Main Results:

• CFA supported a three-factor cognitive model: learning efficiency, retrieval fluency, and working memory.
• Perimenopausal women (combined early and late stages) showed significantly poorer learning efficiency compared to reproductive and postmenopausal women.
• No significant differences in self-reported memory or objective performance were found between early and late perimenopause; however, vasomotor symptoms were higher in late perimenopause.

Conclusions:

• Learning efficiency appears sensitive to cognitive changes during the menopause transition.
• The STRAW +10 criteria present challenges in accurately classifying perimenopause stages.
• Further research with hormonal data and supervised neuropsychological assessments is recommended for precise characterization of perimenopausal cognitive changes.