Menopause linked to Alzheimer’s-like brain changes

The menopause is linked to changes in the brain similar to those seen in Alzheimer’s, according to a large UK study.

The loss of grey matter in areas involved with memory and emotion might partly explain why women are generally at greater risk of dementia than men, researchers speculate.

The findings come from nearly 125,000 women, of whom 11,000 had MRI brain scans.

In the study, published in the journal Psychological Medicine, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use did not appear to prevent the grey matter loss.

Prof Barbara Sahakian, senior author and from Cambridge University, said: “The brain regions where we saw these differences are ones that tend to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

“Menopause could make these women vulnerable further down the line. While not the…