When we think of menopause symptoms, many, if not most of us, put mood swings at the top of the list. We also tend to characterize these shifts as purely behavioral, but the reality is there are direct neurophysiological changes that drive them and other changes during the menopause transition. 

Here to tell us more about these changes is neuroscientist Lisa Mosconi. In her TED Talk entitled “How Menopause Affects the Brain”, Mosconi takes us inside the changes in brain energy during menopause, as well as some of the markèd gender-related differences in brain chemistry, what they mean, and why they matter. 

Menopause is Key: Brain Aging Differences in Men and Women 

One of the key assertions in Mosconi’s talk is that the brain ages differently in men than in women, and that menopause is a significant factor in these differences. She discusses the importance of the brain’s interaction with the reproductive system during the aging process for women and how the changes that occur during menopause can directly affect them. 

She specifically discusses differences in hormonal longevity for males (testosterone) and females (estrogen) and how the loss of testosterone occurs much later in life for men and often with no symptoms. 

The Neuroendocrine System 

Another key highlight of the talk is the pivotal role played by the neuroendocrine system in menopause-related brain changes, specifically the communication between the brain and ovaries. Estradiol is an important component of energy production in the brain. At the cellular level, the estrogen pushes neurons to burn glucose for energy production. In other words, when estrogen levels are high, so is your brain’s energy. 

Brain Changes Contribute to Menopausal Symptoms

Other key points discussed in the presentation include: 

• The role of estrogen and the hypothalamus in hot flashes
• The brain stem’s function in sleep and rest. 
• The role of the amygdala and hippocampus in mood regulation and memory

Mosconi also shows brain scans of a patient who experienced a 30% drop in energy levels after the menopause transition. She hypothesizes that these energy levels are more the result of hormonal aging rather than chronological aging, adding that brain energy levels in men decrease at much slower rates corresponding with hormonal loss. 

Empowering and Assuring Women during the Menopause Transition

Perhaps the most important benefit of this video is that it gives women–who are often at a loss to explain their symptoms–a biological explanation for what they’re experiencing. “So many women have worried that they might be losing their minds,” says Mosconi. “But the truth is your brain might be going through a transition.” 

Watch the Full Video Here!

*Mosconi, Lisa (April 30, 2020). How menopause Affects the Brain [YouTube Video]. TED Talks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJZ8z_nTCZQ