Human study · Aging · 8 Sept 2026
Gray-matter volume did not drop during the menopause transition in 1,095 MRI scans
Source: Nature Communications
What the research found
Study (longitudinal MRI). Sophie van ’t Hof, Elseline Hoekzema and Amsterdam UMC colleagues report in Nature Communications (doi 10.1038/s41467-026-76755-2) comparing puberty, pregnancy, and menopause in 1,095 female brains. Puberty and pregnancy showed small gray-matter reductions; women who moved from pre- to post-menopause between scans did not show the significant volumetric loss seen in stable pre- and postmenopausal controls. Menopause stage was self-reported. Volume pause is not a cognition or dementia test. Educational aging notes, not a treatment for brain fog.
Evidence level: Human study. A study in people, but an association isn't proof of cause.
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