Journal Article

Depression and cognitive functions in perimenopause

Anniverno, Roberta, Mencacci, Claudio, Landi, Paola

2020

Overview

Major depression is the most common mental disorder. Women are affected by depression about twice as much as men, from adolescence to adulthood, with earlier onset, greater clinical severity and longer duration of episodes. Perimenopause is a particularly vulnerable time for depressive recurrences. In addition to the physical and emotional symptoms, attention should be paid to cognitive symptoms such as learning memory, executive functions and psychomotor speed. Cognitive symptoms are often found as residual symptoms, and are closely related to the failure to recover the psychosocial functioning. During perimenopause, only 20% of women are asymptomatic. Of the remaining proportion, 70% complain of vasomotor symptoms associated with at least one among sleep disturbances, affective disorders and impaired cognitive functions. Perimenopause is a window of vulnerability for depression, but also for the onset of cognitive deficits. One of the most accepted hypotheses emphasizes the role of estrogens and their fluctuating state in this phase of life. Depression is also a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases related to brain aging and estrogen deficiency. Finally, for the pharmacological approach to perimenopause-related affective and cognitive disorders, as well as for anxiety issues and vasomotor symptoms, a growing evidence supports the use of serotonergic antidepressants.

• Publisher: Pensiero Scientifico Editore
• Subject: Alzheimer's disease / Cognition & reasoning / Cold / Disease / Emotional disorders / Emotional regulation / Emotions / Estrogens / Executive function / Geriatrics / Memory / Menopause / Mental depression / Mental disorders / Mood disorders / Neurology / Psychology / Quality of life / Remission (Medicine) / Womens health