Lisa Mosconi on Menopause Changes and How Society Sees
Lisa Mosconi, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, is changing how we understand menopause. In her latest research and book, The Menopause Brain, she explains how menopause isn’t just a change in hormones — it’s a transformation that affects the brain, mood, memory, and even how women are treated by society.
Menopause Is a Brain Event, Not Just a Hormonal One
Most people think of menopause as something that only affects the reproductive system. But Lisa Mosconi has shown that menopause is also a neurological process. That means it affects the brain.
These are not just emotional issues. They happen because the brain is adjusting to lower levels of estrogen. Mosconi calls menopause a “neuroendocrine transition,” meaning that both the brain and hormones go through major changes. She believes this stage should be taken just as seriously as puberty or pregnancy when it comes to women’s health.
Society Devalues Women After Menopause
Lisa Mosconi has also spoken out about what she calls “menopausism” — the idea that women become less valuable or invisible after menopause. Many women feel ignored by doctors and misunderstood by their families or workplaces during this stage of life.
Mosconi says that women over 40 often feel unseen, both in society and in medical research. While 50 million women in the U.S. are going through menopause right now, only a small fraction of medical funding goes toward studying this life stage. Most doctors are not trained to understand menopause and don’t ask their patients about brain symptoms or mental health changes.
The Menopause Brain: A Call for Change
In her book The Menopause Brain, Lisa Mosconi calls for a complete rethinking of how we view menopause. She says it’s not the end of something, but a new beginning. She urges:
- More research into how menopause affects the brain
- Better training for doctors on menopause care
- Support systems at work and in healthcare
- A shift in cultural attitudes toward aging and women
Mosconi believes that menopause is not a disease or a decline. It’s a natural transition that deserves attention, care, and respect.
Why Important for Women’s Health
Understanding the brain’s role in menopause is crucial for long-term health. Mosconi’s research is especially important because many women are at risk of mental health struggles, cognitive decline, and even early signs of Alzheimer’s during this time. Supporting brain health during menopause may help prevent serious conditions later in life.
Full Credit to: Lisa Mosconi, neuroscientist: ‘Menopause is making women feel less valuable than before’ [El Pais]
FemTalkAsia Takeaways
- Menopause Starts in the Brain: Dr. Lisa Mosconi explains that menopause is not only a hormonal transition but also a neurological one. Over 80% of women experience brain-related symptoms such as brain fog, mood changes, and sleep disruption due to falling estrogen levels.
- Midlife Women Are Being Undervalued: Mosconi introduces the term “menopausism” to describe how women are often made to feel invisible or less important during and after menopause, both in healthcare and in society.
- A Major Research Gap Still Exists: Despite menopause being a significant life stage for millions of women, there is a lack of scientific research on how it impacts brain health. Most studies have focused on white women, and menopause research remains underfunded.
- Doctors Are Not Trained for Menopause Brain Symptoms: Many healthcare professionals do not receive adequate training on menopause-related brain changes. As a result, symptoms like memory issues, anxiety, and depression are often overlooked or misdiagnosed.
- It’s Time to Change How We View Menopause: Mosconi urges a cultural and medical shift: menopause should not be seen as decline, but as a natural and important phase of life that deserves proper attention, respect, and care.
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