Surgical menopause could lead to memory problems in women
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2013 11:17 AM

For older women, menopause is a natural part of life, and typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. During this time, a woman''s body undergoes many changes, such as the end of menstrual periods and the loss of the ability to get pregnant.

Following surgeries such as a hysterectomy, some women undergo what is known as surgical menopause earlier in life. While this is often necessary for medical reasons, these individuals may want to take an IQ test and see if there have been any changes to their cognitive abilities, as this is not uncommon, according to a new study.

Surgical menopause is caused by the removal of a woman''s ovaries. Researchers behind the study, which will be presented at the upcoming American Academy of Neurology''s 65th Annual Meeting, found that this procedure can increase the risk of memory and thinking problems in patients.

To arrive at these findings, researchers analyzed data on 1,837 women between the ages of 53 and 100. Approximately 33 percent of these individuals had undergone surgical menopause. After reviewing the results of tests designed to assess the women''s memory and thinking skills, the researchers found that the earlier patients received surgery, the more likely they were to experience cognitive decline.

Women who underwent surgical menopause at an early age developed problems with their long-term memory. However, those who experienced natural menopause did not struggle with these issues.

"While we found a link between surgical menopause and thinking and memory decline, women on longer hormone replacement therapies had slower declines," said Riley Bove of the Harvard Medical School, as well as the study''s author. "Since hormone replacement therapy is widely available, our research raises questions as to whether these therapies have a protective effect against cognitive decline and whether women who experience early surgical menopause should be taking hormone replacement therapies afterward."