Aim: Menopause involves the cessation of ovarian activity, follicular production, menstruation, and reproductive capacity, and may significantly affect women’s cognitive and emotional health. Estrogen receptors are highly expressed in brain regions such as the hippocampus, which are essential for learning and memory. The sharp decline in estrogen around age 50 may contribute to gray matter volume loss in dementia-vulnerable regions, potentially reflecting early neurodegenerative processes. This study investigated changes in cellular oxygenation capacity during menopause, their relationship with cognitive symptoms, and possible links to neurodegeneration.Material and Methods: The study included 93 women: 53 postmenopausal and 40 premenopausal participants. Demographic data and cognitive assessments were collected using neurological tests, and blood samples were analyzed for HIF1A levels. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 23.Results: Compared with the premenopausal group, postmenopausal women showed significantly lower cognitive performance, particularly in MoCA scores (p=0.002; Holm p=0.006), and lower HIF1A levels (p=0.002; Holm p=0.006). QALY scores were lower before correction but became borderline after Holm adjustment, while EQ-VAS scores did not differ. Sensitivity analyses adjusted for age and EQ-VAS showed persistent MoCA differences, whereas HIF1A and QALY differences weakened.Conclusion: Further studies should explore associations between HIF1A, neural atrophy, and estrogen-related molecular pathways.
Alpay et al. (Sun,) studied this question.