Understanding Menopausal Brain Fog: Insights Into The Hippocampus and Cognitive Changes.

Описание: Description

What is happening to your brain during menopause — and why is it not a personal failure?

In this video, I explore the role of the hippocampus — the part of the brain responsible for memory, learning and emotional regulation — and how fluctuating oestrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause can affect cognitive function.

Many women describe: • Brain fog
• Word-finding difficulties
• Reduced concentration
• Loss of confidence
• Emotional sensitivity

These experiences are real, physiological, and widely documented.

Research shows that oestrogen receptors are highly concentrated in the hippocampus, and hormonal changes can temporarily influence memory and processing speed (Brinton, 2009; Mosconi et al., 2021). NICE Guideline NG23 (2015, updated 2019) acknowledges cognitive symptoms as part of the menopausal transition.


The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), initiated in 1994, has demonstrated that menopausal symptoms and stress exposure vary across ethnic groups — with Black women often reporting more frequent and prolonged symptoms.

For Black women in particular, we must also consider the cumulative impact of long-term stress exposure, workplace inequity, and extended working lives in the UK. Chronic stress is known to affect hippocampal functioning, which may compound cognitive symptoms during menopause.

As a Licensed Menopause Champion and strategic EDI leader with over 25 years working within complex systems, I have supported many women who believed they were “losing themselves” — when in reality, they were navigating neurobiological change without adequate structural support.

This is not about blame.
This is about understanding.

Part 2 will focus on practical, evidence-informed strategies to support cognitive wellbeing during this life stage.

If this resonates, you are not alone.