UCLA Neurologist Urges 10-Year Rule for Midlife Memory Lapses as 1 in 9 Adults Report Decline
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 26
UCLA Neurologist Urges 10-Year Rule for Midlife Memory Lapses as 1 in 9 Adults Report Decline
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 26
Summary
Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl says women with midlife memory lapses should compare their current cognition with how they functioned 10 years ago, using that baseline to judge whether changes may track menopause.
Estrogen loss during perimenopause and menopause can cause word-finding trouble, slower processing and forgetfulness, she said, and healthy habits alone may not fully prevent those shifts.
Standard neurological tests often miss this “subjective cognitive decline” because women can feel a drop from their personal peak even when formal testing still looks normal.
Experts say menopausal brain fog is usually intermittent and does not erode independence, unlike early dementia, which progressively disrupts tasks such as managing finances, driving familiar routes and judgment.
CDC data show about 1 in 9 adults report subjective cognitive decline, yet fewer than half discuss it with a clinician; Voskuhl advises a full medical workup and changing doctors if concerns are dismissed.