The Effects of Natural and Surgical Menopause on Auditory and Cognitive Processing

Introduction Estrogen plays a vital role in various physiological processes. While its impact on peripheral hearing sensitivity has been explored, limited attention has been given to its effect on central auditory processes, particularly during menopause. The present study examines the effects of both natural and surgical menopause on temporal processing of sound, speech perception in noise (SPIN), and working memory. Material and methods Three groups of women aged 49–60 years were recruited: 20 women with natural menopause, 20 with surgical menopause, and 20 premenopausal women. Temporal processing was assessed using the modulation detection threshold (MDT) and gap detection threshold (GDT) tests, SPIN abilities were evaluated using the Speech Perception in Noise Test in Kannada (SPIN-K), and working memory was assessed through digit span and sequencing tasks. Results The group of women with surgical menopause had significantly poorer temporal processing abilities, as reflected in higher MDT and GDT thresholds than the other two groups. No significant differences in SPIN or working memory were observed among the groups. Conclusions The findings highlight the adverse effects of surgical menopause on auditory temporal processing, likely due to an abrupt decline in estrogen levels. These results underscore the importance of estrogen in auditory health and call for targeted interventions and further research to confirm and expand these findings.