A/Prof. Julia Lappin1,2, A/Prof Emma Devenney2
1UNSW, Australia, 2NeuRA, Australia
Biography:
Julia is an Associate Professor at UNSW Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health and a Clinical Academic Psychiatrist at Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney. She is a Quest Scholar at Neuroscience Australia (NeuRA) where she co-runs the Optimizing Brain Health from Midlife Clinic. Julia has a broad range of interests across research and clinical practice, with a focus both on improving outcomes in mental health disorders and on optimizing brain health, particularly cognitive and mental health, throughout life including during midlife and peri/menopause.
Background:
The menopause transition is a period of significant hormonal and psychological vulnerability. Many women experience deterioration in brain health during this time, including cognitive difficulties (brain fog), mood symptoms and sleep disruption. Despite these issues being common, there is limited research to guide clinicians on how best to manage them. This is important because effective treatment of modifiable risk factors at midlife may impact a woman’s later risk for dementia.
Methods:
The evidence-base for cognitive difficulties, sleep disruption and mental health symptoms during peri/menopause is reviewed and considered in the context of risk factors for dementia which are modifiable at midlife. Several example cases of women experiencing brain health difficulties are presented to illustrate common issues and how to approach management in the clinic. The Optimizing Brain Health from Midlife Clinic is introduced.
Findings:
Peri/menopausal women may experience numerous brain health difficulties. Recommendations for management should be tailored to each woman, according to the symptoms she reports, and with consideration of other risk factors she holds.
Conclusions:
Women negotiating the menopause transition require information and support for a range of brain health difficulties. Referral to the Optimizing Brain Health from Midlife Clinic may be useful for some women.