AI Helps Predict Memory Issues, Cognitive Decline During Menopausal Transition

Artificial intelligence might be able to more quickly and affordably identify menopausal women who are having problems with memory or cognition.

AI effectively identified women with severe subjective cognitive decline (SCD), or self-perceived confusion or memory problems, researchers report in a new study published Jan. 14 in the journal Menopause.

Using AI to help menopausal women could open the door to better management of their brain health, researchers said.

“The menopause transition stage is a significant factor of severe SCD,” wrote the research team led by Ping Li, a professor with the Shandong University School of Nursing and Rehabilitation in China.

“Women at different stages of this transition face varying risks of cognitive decline, likely due to hormonal fluctuations, emotional changes, and physiological alterations,” the team wrote.

SCD can be one of the earliest notable symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About one in nine U.S. adults suffer from SCD, mainly middle-aged folks and seniors.

For the study, researchers recruited nearly 1,300 menopausal nurses from 16 hospitals in the Shandong Province of China. The women’s subjective cognitive decline was measured using a 9-item questionnaire.

The research team trained an AI program to look for SCD by comparing the questionnaire results to other data from three-quarters of the nurses, including health, work life, menstrual and menopause symptoms, mental health, and lifestyle factors like sleep and exercise.

They then tested the AI on the remaining quarter of the nurses to see if it could accurately detect SCD based on their data.

Results showed that the AI “possesses strong capabilities and can effectively identify patients with severe SCD,” researchers wrote.

The model also revealed specific factors that are more likely to influence a woman’s risk of SCD.

“The results showed that menopausal symptoms, menopause transition stage, socioeconomic status, sleep satisfaction, and positive emotions were the most significant factors affecting severe SCD,” researchers wrote.

Overall, menopause symptoms had the greatest impact on brain power, results show.

“In the early stages, mild menopausal symptoms may not be significantly associated with cognition, but as symptoms become more intense—particularly with frequent or severe hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep disturbances—the risk of cognitive decline rises markedly,” researchers wrote.

On the other hand, women with more positive emotions had less cognitive decline, possibly by alleviating their stress and helping their brain remain more flexible.

The researchers said additional research is needed to validate the AI’s effectiveness, and to identify other factors that might be included in its analysis.

“This study highlights how the use of machine learning can be employed to identify women experiencing severe subjective cognitive decline during the menopause transition and potential associated factors,” Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society, said in a news release.

“Early identification of high-risk persons may allow for targeted interventions to protect cognitive health,” Faubion concluded. “Future studies involving objective measures of cognition and longitudinal follow-up are crucial to better understanding these associations.”

More information

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on subjective cognitive decline.

SOURCE: The Menopause Society, news release, Jan. 14, 2025

Source: HealthDay