Earlier Menopause Age Linked to Faster Brain Atrophy and Increased Dementia Risk
New research indicates that an earlier age at menopause is associated with faster cognitive decline, earlier onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and a greater accumulation of white matter hyperintensities in older women. This association is particularly evident following spontaneous menopause. A longitudinal cohort study of 2,603 older women, utilizing data from the Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project with up to 18 years of follow-up, examined the relationship between menopause age and cognitive decline, AD onset, and structural brain changes. The findings suggest that menopause age can serve as a midlife-identifiable marker for dementia risk stratification. Earlier menopause was linked to faster global cognitive decline and episodic memory decline, as well as an earlier AD diagnosis. For women with spontaneous menopause, earlier menopause was associated with a faster accumulation of white matter hyperintensity volume, with a 5-year earlier menopause leading to approximately 15% greater... 
