Menopause and the brain: The connection we’re only beginning to understand

Menopause affects more than your reproductive health. What about your brain?

Hot flushes. Sleep changes. Mood changes. Brain fog.

We tend to think of menopause as a reproductive transition. But many of the changes women experience during perimenopause and menopause involve the brain.

Now, researchers are calling for a much greater focus on what menopause could mean for women’s neurological health.

A new Roadmap published in Nature Reviews Neurology argues that menopause remains under-recognised as a contributor to brain health — and that significant gaps remain in our understanding of what happens to the brain during this transition.

Around two-thirds of women report cognitive concerns

According to the researchers, approximately two-thirds of women experience cognitive concerns during the menopausal transition.

Changes in memory, concentration and thinking — often described as “brain fog” — can all be part of the experience.

Yet despite how common these concerns are, researchers say scientific understanding of the impact of the menopausal transition on the brain remains limited.

And for women already living with neurological conditions, the knowledge gap is even greater.

What does menopause mean for long-term brain health?

This is where the research gets particularly interesting — and where it’s important not to jump to conclusions.

Earlier menopause has been associated with a greater risk of cognitive decline. But researchers say we still don’t know enough to understand how the menopausal transition itself may influence a woman’s later risk of neurological conditions.

There are also major gaps in our understanding of what happens to existing neurological conditions during perimenopause and after menopause — or how they should be managed specifically for women.

The researchers are now calling for more research to better understand these relationships and improve neurological care for women.

Looking at the whole picture

For decades, menopause has largely been viewed through the lens of reproductive health. But research like this is another reminder that women’s health doesn’t exist in separate systems.

Changes during menopause can happen alongside changes in sleep, mood, cognition, symptoms and everyday wellbeing. Understanding how those changes connect — and how they evolve over time — can help women build a clearer picture of what’s happening in their bodies.

That’s exactly why we built Ovum.

Ovum brings your health information together in one place, helping you track symptoms, cycles, sleep, mood, medications, appointments and other health information over time.

So when something changes, you have more context to understand it — and a clearer health history to take into conversations with your healthcare team.

Because menopause isn’t just about the end of your reproductive years.

It’s a whole-body transition. And understanding your health starts with seeing the whole picture.

Bove R, Dobson R. Menopause and neurological disorders: a roadmap for research. Nature Reviews Neurology. Published 10 August 2026.