Symptoms Experienced During the Menopause Transition and Cognition in Older Women With Cardiovascular Disease: Secondary Analyses of the MindMoves Trial

BACKGROUND: Few studies have included older women with cardiovascular disease (CVD) when examining symptoms experienced during the menopause transition and current cognition. OBJECTIVE: To explore whether symptoms women recalled experiencing during the menopause transition were associated with later life levels of cognitive function and cognition-related serum biomarkers in women with CVD. METHODS: This is a secondary, exploratory, cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the 197 older women with CVD, who did not have a hysterectomy and removal of both ovaries before their last menstrual period, who participated in a lifestyle intervention to improve cognitive function. Four symptom dimensions experienced during the menopause transition (vasomotor, sexual dysfunction, psychological, and somatic) were identified based on retrospective recall. Cognitive function was assessed using a battery of neuropsychological tests that evaluated 3 memory domains (episodic, semantic, and working). Three cognition-related serum biomarkers were also measured. A series of linear regression models was used to evaluate associations of symptom dimensions with cognitive function and serum biomarkers. Models were adjusted for age, racial/ethnic background, education level, and use of hormone replacement therapy. RESULTS: Fewer somatic symptoms during the menopause transition and ever taking hormone replacement therapy were associated with higher episodic memory, and more sexual dysfunction and younger age were associated with higher working memory. No associations were found for any symptom domains and serum biomarkers in regression models. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may further the understanding of particularly somatic symptoms experienced during the menopause transition that could be precursors to lower cognitive function later in life in women with CVD.