Plasma Proteomics Link Menopause Timing To Brain Aging And Dementia Risk
The timing of menopause can significantly impact a woman’s brain health later in life. Recent research has shed light on the biological mechanisms connecting earlier menopause to an increased risk of dementia. Scientists investigated proteins circulating in the blood, which act as messengers and indicators of various bodily processes.
The study found that women who experienced menopause earlier showed distinct patterns in their blood proteins. These patterns indicated an upregulation of pathways related to inflammation and the degradation of the extracellular matrix, which is essentially the scaffolding that supports cells and tissues in the body. Furthermore, these women exhibited signs of accelerated biological aging, as measured by “proteomic clocks” that assess the age of organs and cells based on protein profiles. This acceleration was observed in overall aging, as well as specifically in brain and oligodendrocyte (a type of brain cell) aging.
One notable finding was the elevated presence of a protein called GDF15, a well-known marker of aging, which was strongly associated with earlier menopause. Crucially, the protein changes linked to earlier menopause were also consistently associated with a higher risk of developing dementia, brain shrinkage, problems with small blood vessels in the brain, and reduced integrity of the brain’s white matter. These findings provide a clearer understanding of how ovarian aging influences brain aging and offer potential avenues for developing interventions to reduce dementia risk in women.
Source: link to paper