Science Digest: Beyond “Brain Fog”

The paper “Cognitive Problems in Perimenopause: A Review of Recent Evidence” was published in October 2023 in Current Psychiatry Reports, a Q1 psychiatry journal. I chose it because cognition in perimenopause is a constant topic on social media. The paper goes well beyond vague “brain fog.”

It looks at evidence on specific cognitive functions affected during the transition, including verbal learning and verbal memory, processing speed, attention, working memory, and executive functions like planning and task management. 

The authors, led by Dr. Christina Metcalf from the University of Colorado, systematically analyzed recent research to answer a question that matters deeply to millions of women: Is the mental cloudiness real, and what can we do about it?

What This Review is About

This isn’t a single study but a systematic review that examined recent research on cognitive changes during perimenopause. The authors reviewed findings from multiple longitudinal studies and cross-sectional studies spanning several countries and populations. 

They defined perimenopause as the menopause transition from early changes in cycle length through the first year after the final menstrual period. The review examined which cognitive functions are most affected, what factors make some women more vulnerable than others, what’s happening in the brain during this time, and what women can do to address these concerns.