Complaints of reduced cognitive functioning during perimenopause: a cross-sectional analysis of the Japan Nurses’ Health Study
Abstract Background Many women experience various symptoms during the period of menopausal transition, including complaints of reduced cognitive functioning. However, these complaints are not necessarily recognized as core menopausal symptoms. In this study, we sought to characterize subjective comp...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | Women's Midlife Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-022-00076-9 |
| _version_ | 1811257361082351616 |
|---|---|
| author | Kunihiko Hayashi Yuki Ideno Kazue Nagai Jung-Su Lee Toshiyuki Yasui Takumi Kurabayashi Kiyoshi Takamatsu |
| author_facet | Kunihiko Hayashi Yuki Ideno Kazue Nagai Jung-Su Lee Toshiyuki Yasui Takumi Kurabayashi Kiyoshi Takamatsu |
| author_sort | Kunihiko Hayashi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Many women experience various symptoms during the period of menopausal transition, including complaints of reduced cognitive functioning. However, these complaints are not necessarily recognized as core menopausal symptoms. In this study, we sought to characterize subjective complaints of reduced cognitive functioning by analyzing cross-sectional data from the Japan Nurses’ Health Study (JNHS). Methods The JNHS 4-year follow-up questionnaire containing a 21-item climacteric symptom checklist, which included a question about “poor memory or forgetfulness”, was mailed between 2005 and 2011 to all JNHS participants, regardless of their age at the time of the survey. We estimated the prevalence of slight and severe complaints in 5-year age-groups. We used principal component analysis to explore the underlying factors among the 21 symptoms during the menopausal transition period in women aged 45–54 years at the time of the survey. We also examined risk factors for complaints using multivariable modified Poisson regression analysis. Results In total, 12,507 women responded to the 4-year survey. The mean age at the time of the 4-year survey was 46.5 years (range 27–82). “Poor memory or forgetfulness” showed a peak prevalence of 81.7% (severe 27.9%; slight 53.8%) at 50–54 years, and gradually decreased after 55 years. Principal component analysis indicated that “poor memory or forgetfulness” belonged to somatic symptoms and was close to psychological symptoms in women aged 45–54 years. In women aged 45–54 years, the complaint was also significantly associated with hot flashes and sweats. Multivariable modified Poisson regression analysis showed that menopausal status (uncertain and postmenopausal), less sleep (sleep of < 5 h and sleep of 5– < 6 h), night-shift work, and severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) were significantly associated with the prevalence of severe complaints of reduced cognitive functioning in women aged 45–54 years. Conclusions We found that prevalence of “poor memory or forgetfulness” was highest during the menopausal transition period and among perimenopausal women. This subjective complaint was associated with somatic, psychological complaints and VMS. It may be useful for women with cognitive problems in the transition period to consider management of comorbid menopausal symptoms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:56:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0a8f82dd03e64feeb8ca71c844163fa4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-2690 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:56:13Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Women's Midlife Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-0a8f82dd03e64feeb8ca71c844163fa42022-12-22T03:22:20ZengBMCWomen's Midlife Health2054-26902022-06-01811910.1186/s40695-022-00076-9Complaints of reduced cognitive functioning during perimenopause: a cross-sectional analysis of the Japan Nurses’ Health StudyKunihiko Hayashi0Yuki Ideno1Kazue Nagai2Jung-Su Lee3Toshiyuki Yasui4Takumi Kurabayashi5Kiyoshi Takamatsu6Graduate School of Health Sciences, Gunma UniversityCenter for Mathematics and Data Science, Gunma UniversityGraduate School of Health Sciences, Gunma UniversityPostgraduate School of Healthcare, Tokyo Healthcare UniversityInstitute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate SchoolDepartment of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Niigata City General HospitalDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Dental College Ichikawa General HospitalAbstract Background Many women experience various symptoms during the period of menopausal transition, including complaints of reduced cognitive functioning. However, these complaints are not necessarily recognized as core menopausal symptoms. In this study, we sought to characterize subjective complaints of reduced cognitive functioning by analyzing cross-sectional data from the Japan Nurses’ Health Study (JNHS). Methods The JNHS 4-year follow-up questionnaire containing a 21-item climacteric symptom checklist, which included a question about “poor memory or forgetfulness”, was mailed between 2005 and 2011 to all JNHS participants, regardless of their age at the time of the survey. We estimated the prevalence of slight and severe complaints in 5-year age-groups. We used principal component analysis to explore the underlying factors among the 21 symptoms during the menopausal transition period in women aged 45–54 years at the time of the survey. We also examined risk factors for complaints using multivariable modified Poisson regression analysis. Results In total, 12,507 women responded to the 4-year survey. The mean age at the time of the 4-year survey was 46.5 years (range 27–82). “Poor memory or forgetfulness” showed a peak prevalence of 81.7% (severe 27.9%; slight 53.8%) at 50–54 years, and gradually decreased after 55 years. Principal component analysis indicated that “poor memory or forgetfulness” belonged to somatic symptoms and was close to psychological symptoms in women aged 45–54 years. In women aged 45–54 years, the complaint was also significantly associated with hot flashes and sweats. Multivariable modified Poisson regression analysis showed that menopausal status (uncertain and postmenopausal), less sleep (sleep of < 5 h and sleep of 5– < 6 h), night-shift work, and severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) were significantly associated with the prevalence of severe complaints of reduced cognitive functioning in women aged 45–54 years. Conclusions We found that prevalence of “poor memory or forgetfulness” was highest during the menopausal transition period and among perimenopausal women. This subjective complaint was associated with somatic, psychological complaints and VMS. It may be useful for women with cognitive problems in the transition period to consider management of comorbid menopausal symptoms.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-022-00076-9Menopausal symptomsPoor memory and forgetfulnessComplaint of reduced cognitive functioningSomatic symptomsPsychological symptomsVasomotor symptoms |
| spellingShingle | Kunihiko Hayashi Yuki Ideno Kazue Nagai Jung-Su Lee Toshiyuki Yasui Takumi Kurabayashi Kiyoshi Takamatsu Complaints of reduced cognitive functioning during perimenopause: a cross-sectional analysis of the Japan Nurses’ Health Study Women's Midlife Health Menopausal symptoms Poor memory and forgetfulness Complaint of reduced cognitive functioning Somatic symptoms Psychological symptoms Vasomotor symptoms |
| title | Complaints of reduced cognitive functioning during perimenopause: a cross-sectional analysis of the Japan Nurses’ Health Study |
| title_full | Complaints of reduced cognitive functioning during perimenopause: a cross-sectional analysis of the Japan Nurses’ Health Study |
| title_fullStr | Complaints of reduced cognitive functioning during perimenopause: a cross-sectional analysis of the Japan Nurses’ Health Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Complaints of reduced cognitive functioning during perimenopause: a cross-sectional analysis of the Japan Nurses’ Health Study |
| title_short | Complaints of reduced cognitive functioning during perimenopause: a cross-sectional analysis of the Japan Nurses’ Health Study |
| title_sort | complaints of reduced cognitive functioning during perimenopause a cross sectional analysis of the japan nurses health study |
| topic | Menopausal symptoms Poor memory and forgetfulness Complaint of reduced cognitive functioning Somatic symptoms Psychological symptoms Vasomotor symptoms |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-022-00076-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kunihikohayashi complaintsofreducedcognitivefunctioningduringperimenopauseacrosssectionalanalysisofthejapannurseshealthstudy AT yukiideno complaintsofreducedcognitivefunctioningduringperimenopauseacrosssectionalanalysisofthejapannurseshealthstudy AT kazuenagai complaintsofreducedcognitivefunctioningduringperimenopauseacrosssectionalanalysisofthejapannurseshealthstudy AT jungsulee complaintsofreducedcognitivefunctioningduringperimenopauseacrosssectionalanalysisofthejapannurseshealthstudy AT toshiyukiyasui complaintsofreducedcognitivefunctioningduringperimenopauseacrosssectionalanalysisofthejapannurseshealthstudy AT takumikurabayashi complaintsofreducedcognitivefunctioningduringperimenopauseacrosssectionalanalysisofthejapannurseshealthstudy AT kiyoshitakamatsu complaintsofreducedcognitivefunctioningduringperimenopauseacrosssectionalanalysisofthejapannurseshealthstudy |