To investigate the relationship between menopause status and cognitive symptoms versus objective cognitive performance in women aged 45 to 55.
Key Findings:
Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women reported higher odds of cognitive symptoms like brain fog and memory problems compared to premenopausal women.
Objective cognitive performance was largely similar across all groups, with minimal differences.
Perimenopausal participants showed slightly higher accuracy in cognitive tasks, but the effect size was very small.
Subjective cognitive symptoms were weakly associated with objective cognitive performance but moderately associated with psychological symptoms.
Interpretation:
Perceived cognitive difficulties during menopause may be more related to mood, sleep, and fatigue rather than actual declines in cognitive ability.
Limitations:
The cross-sectional design limits conclusions about causality.
Standardized cognitive testing may not capture transient cognitive lapses affecting daily functioning.
Conclusion:
There is a disconnect between women's reported cognitive symptoms and objective test performance, indicating the need for longitudinal studies to understand changes over time.
