Objective cognitive performance is related to subjective memory complaints in midlife women with moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms

Abstract

Objective Memory complaints increase as women transition from premenopausal to postmenopausal stages. We explored the extent to which subjective memory complaints were associated with objective cognitive test performance, affective symptoms, and menopausal symptoms in midlife women with moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms. We predicted that subjective memory complaints would be related to affective symptoms and lower performance on tests of memory and attention. Methods Sixty-eight midlife women (mean age = 53; 54% African American) with ≥ 35 hot flashes per week completed the Memory Functioning Questionnaire (MFQ), a battery of objective cognitive tests, a menopausal symptom inventory and mood questionnaires. Linear regression analyses were conducted to examine predictors (symptoms and objective cognitive scores) of ratings on each of four MFQ subscales and a validated, single-item rating of current memory. Results Negative affect and delayed verbal memory predicted a single-item rating of current memory. Negative affect and poorer scores on tests of attention and working memory predicted Frequency of Forgetting. Lower positive affect, higher vasomotor symptoms, and increased age predicted lower Retrospective Memory Functioning. Increased age predicted Use of Mnemonics. Conclusions These findings strengthen the growing body of evidence that women with memory complaints during the menopausal transition have an accurate appraisal of their memory function and that their complaints also relate to affect and to a lesser extent vasomotor symptoms. Given that cognitive performance was in the normal range, these findings suggest that women can detect subtle changes in memory performance during the transition.

Stellate ganglion blockade and verbal memory in midlife women: Evidence from a randomized trial

“…Our present findings provide stronger support, albeit tentative given small numbers, of a possible causal relationship between reductions in physiologic VMS and improvements in memory. Changes in memory were unrelated to changes in reported VMS, consistent with previous findings that memory[9] and neuroimaging measures [14, 15] related to physiologic VMS but not reported VMS. Further investigation in larger studies is needed to determine the potential clinical utility of physiologic VMS monitoring to identify women at risk for memory declines.…”

“…Complaints of forgetfulness correlate with performance on neuropsychological tests of verbal memory, which measure learning and recall of words, stories and other verbal material[9]. Verbal memory worsens during the menopausal transition and after surgical menopause [10-12].…”

The intensity of menopausal symptoms is associated with episodic memory in postmenopausal women

“…Hot flushes documented subjectively 17 or/and objectively 18 represent the most significant negative predictor of selfreported forgetfulness or retrospective memory functioning [17][18][19] . The severity of hot flushes predicted both the performance in verbal memory scores and the duration of memory problems 20,21 .…”

“…A number of studies have indicated an association between vasomotor symptoms and memory performance [15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] .…”

Continuously delivered ovarian steroids do not alter dendritic spine density or morphology in macaque dorsolateral prefrontal cortical neurons

“…This decline is particularly apparent on tasks that rely on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), such as those that emphasize working memory and cognitive flexibility (Drogos et al, 2013; Weber et al, 2013). The interaction between this loss of estrogens and the risk of decline in cognitive function is not well understood, and studies designed to explore the cognitive benefits of hormone therapy in women have yielded conflicting results.…”