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What is Mind Fog? The symptom of menopause that can be mistaken for Alzheimer's

What is Mind Fog? The symptom of menopause that can be mistaken for Alzheimer's

Edited by: TOP DOCTORS® at 26/03/2024

Forgetting words and feeling that thoughts are not as clear as before can be examples of Mind Fog.


What is Mind Fog?

The term Mind Haze was first used by the British physician Edward Tilt in the mid-19th century, who referred to a "cloud" that enveloped the brains of some Victorian women.


Today we know it is a reversible cognitive impairment that can be experienced during Perimenopause and Menopause, that is, in the 7-year period around the time you stop menstruating.


According to Pauline Maki, Professor at the University of Illinois and former President of the American Society for Menopause, this symptom affects memory used in everyday activities. For example, when shopping, some patients forget what they were going to buy, while others experience difficulty remembering words, concentrating on multiple tasks at once, or finding their way home.


"In our studies we found clinically significant impairments in which 10% of women score significantly lower than expected for their age," Maki said. "Many others have more subtle difficulties, in the sense that they are not affected by their ability to do their jobs, but they notice the differences."


Why it happens?

The brain has estrogen receptors, and many of these are located in the hippocampus, which is an important region for both fixing and retrieving certain memories.


"With an abrupt drop in estrogen during menopause, some of this activity in the hippocampus is affected," Devi explained.


In studies with women who had had their ovaries removed, which produce most of the estrogens, it was observed that cognitive ability recovered when this hormone was administered.


Mental fog and confusion with Alzheimer's

Gayatri Devi, a Neurologist who attends at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, told BBC Mundo that she had recently diagnosed a woman who was going through Menopause with Alzheimer's Disease.


However, her patient improved after receiving treatment that involved estrogens. In this way it was discovered the belief of her was erroneous disorientation and memory loss were linked to a drastic reduction in the levels of the hormone.


According to Devi, about 60% of perimenopausal or menopausal women experience these cognitive changes.


Other factors involved in Mental Fog

Decreased estrogen is not the only cause of this symptom. It can also be due to lack of sleep, as it interferes with memory circuits.


"Up to 60% of women during the transition to menopause report problems with sleep, and this is associated with memory and the functioning and structure of the brain," said Rebecca Thurston, director of Health and Dementia in Women of the Foundation Pittsburgh and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.


Likewise, changes in mood, Anxiety and Depression (whose incidence increases in Perimenopause), and hot flashes can take a toll on memory.


What to do in the face of Mental Fog?

Faced with these cognitive difficulties, the first recommendation is to remain calm and not assume that you have Alzheimer's or another neurodegenerative disease. Studies suggest that menopause is a transitory disease, which dissipates as the brain gets used to working with little estrogen.


Sometimes Hormone Replacement Therapy can be helpful. If you require guidance, you can turn to tools such as Telemedicine. At Top Doctors we have e-Consultation, where you can get an appointment by Videoconsultation or private chat with our different specialists.

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