A Cognitive Intervention to Manage 'Brain Fog' in Menopause Transition: Feasibility Study

Launched by UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON · Apr 15, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at a new way to help women experiencing 'brain fog' during the menopause transition. 'Brain fog' can make it hard to remember things, concentrate, or even keep track of items. While many people find that these problems improve over time, some suffer from long-lasting effects that can impact their work and relationships. The study aims to create and test a cognitive intervention, which is a type of program designed to help improve thinking and memory skills. It will also check if this program is acceptable and if it helps improve cognitive function in participants.

To be eligible for this trial, participants should be women, trans men, or non-binary individuals aged 40 to 60 who have ovaries and are experiencing certain stages of menopause. They should also have been on a stable dose of hormone or antidepressant medication for at least six months and feel that their cognitive difficulties are affecting their quality of life. Importantly, individuals with dementia or those who have recently changed their medication that might affect cognition won't be included. Participants can expect to receive support through the cognitive program, and if the trial shows positive results, it could lead to a larger study that may help many women manage their cognitive challenges during menopause.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • people with ovaries (women, trans-men and non-binary people) aged 40-60
• • late-reproductive, early-late perimenopause or early post-menopause stages according to the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW+10; Harlow et al., 2012)
• • stable dose of hormonal (oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone) or antidepressant (SSRI, SSNI) medication for 6 months or more
• • self-reported cognitive difficulties impacting on quality of life
• • ability to communicate in English
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • diagnosis of dementia
• • new regimen (under 6 months) of medication likely to impact on cognition (i.e. hormonal or anti-depressant)