title: Mental health around and after the menopause.
abstract: The menopause is a time in a woman's life when it is recognized that biological and social changes can impact upon mental wellbeing. Several studies have investigated the relationship between menopause and psychological symptoms, especially depression, with mixed results. In part, this is due to a considerable overlap between depressive symptoms and those due to declining estrogen levels, causing challenges in assessment. However it appears that vulnerable women are at a higher risk of succumbing to depression during menopausal transition. Antidepressants remain the mainstay of treating depressive symptoms, with little conclusive evidence for hormone replacement therapy. Memory problems during menopause are a common complaint, but there is no demonstrated link to subsequent dementia. This paper also reviews considerations of diagnosis and treatment of postmenopausal depression.
authors.affiliation: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Old Age Psychiatry, Beechcroft, Fulbourn Hospital, UK. dr.malar@gmail.com
authors.forename: Malarvizhi Babu
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sandilyan
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dening
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D008593:Menopause / Q000523:psychology*; D008603:Mental Health
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D004967:Estrogens