CLIMACTERIC SYMPTOMS DO NOT IMPAIR COGNITIVE PERFORMANCES IN POSTMENOPAUSE

Objective: To investigate whether information processing and attention performances are affected by climacteric vasomotor symptoms. Methods: The study group comprised 66 healthy hysterectomized postmenopausal w omen. The subjects were divided into two subgroups (high symptomatic a nd low symptomatic) according to the quantity of climacteric vasomotor symptoms. Information processing was examined using CogniSpeed, a rea ction time software that separates, for example, pure controlled proce ssing and working memory from perceptual and motor components. Attenti on was examined by using visual and auditory tasks. The role of climac teric depression as a determinant of cognitive performance was evaluat ed by the Beck Depression Inventory and dividing subjects according to self-reported climacteric mood symptoms. The effects of serum oestrog en level and ageing on cognitive performances were also studied. Resul ts: Cognitive performances were similar in high symptomatic and low sy mptomatic women. On the Verification test younger women had shorter re action times (P = 0.002) and on the Subtraction test they had fewer er rors (P = 0.015) than older women. These tests required working memory and decision making. Accuracy in the tests of sustained and auditory attention worsened slightly with age. Cognitive performances neither c orrelated with scores on the Beck Depression scale nor with serum oest rogen level. Climacteric mood symptoms did not impair cognitive perfor mance. Conclusions: Despite subjective complaints of memory impairment in association with climacteric vasomotor symptoms, our results did n ot support a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Thus, the minor def icits found in cognitive processing efficiency seem to be related rath er to age than climacteric symptoms. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.