Tag : Menopause

Washington: Postmenopausal women may have more brain biomarkers called white matter hyperintensities than premenopausal women or men of the same age, according to a new study funded by the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. White matter hyperintensities are tiny lesions visible on brain scans that become more common with age or with uncontrolled high blood pressure. These brain biomarkers have been linked in some studies to an increased risk of stroke, Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline. "White matter hyperintensities increase as the brain ages, and while having them does not mean that a person will develop dementia or have a stroke, larger amounts may increase a person's risk," said study author Monique M. B. Breteler, MD, PhD, of the German Center of Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), in Bonn, Germany, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "Our study examined what role menopause may have on amounts of these brain biomarkers. Our results imply that white matter hyperintensities evolve differently for men and women, where menopause or factors that determine when menopause starts, such as variations in the aging process, are defining factors." The study involved 3,410 people with an average age of 54. Of those, 58% were women, and of the women, 59% were postmenopausal. Also, 35% of all participants had high blood pressure and of those, half had uncontrolled high blood pressure. All participants had MRI brain scans. Researchers looked at the scans and calculated the amount of white matter hyperintensities for each participant. Average total volume for these brain biomarkers was 0.5 milliliters (ml). Average total brain volume was 1,180 ml for men and 1,053 ml for women. Average total white matter volume ...