Menopause & The Brain: Breakthroughs in Women’s Health with Dr. Lisa Mosconi | 301 | Kelly LeVeque

Surgical Risks

Surgical menopause presents significant health risks, including increased chances of depression, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular diseases. Lisa Mosconi highlights the lack of counseling women receive before undergoing procedures like hysterectomies and oophorectomies, which can lead to abrupt menopause and its associated symptoms 1. She emphasizes the need for studies on the brains of women before and after these surgeries to better understand the cognitive impacts 1.

A lot of women have really not been counseled enough before undergoing these procedures, in part because nobody actually believes that menopause really changes your brain.

--- Lisa Mosconi

Understanding the neurological changes during menopause is crucial, as they can lead to depressive symptoms and other mental health challenges 2.

   

Clinical Management

Managing surgical menopause effectively requires a combination of hormone therapy and non-hormonal options. Lisa Mosconi discusses the importance of offering hormone therapy, especially for women undergoing prophylactic oophorectomies due to cancer risks 3. She also highlights non-hormonal interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle changes, which can support women through this transition 3.

The North American Menopause Society really endorses cognitive behavioral therapy and clinical hypnosis, which are things that maybe you wouldn't think about necessarily.

--- Lisa Mosconi

Additionally, understanding the phases of perimenopause can help women anticipate and manage symptoms, with early and late stages lasting between two and fourteen years 4.