Menopause May Temporarily Slow the Brain's Aging, Scans Show

A large, multi-year MRI study tracking more than 1,000 women through puberty, pregnancy and menopause found that the onset of menopause temporarily slows the typical age-related loss of cortical gray matter, in contrast to accelerated loss during puberty and pregnancy. The pattern suggests menopause involves brain plasticity influenced by hormonal changes, but causation remains unproven and links to estrogen hormones are not yet clear; findings are reported in Nature Communications (2026).