Menopause and Memory

Filed in archive Menstruation on March 7, 2007

When we think of PMS, we think of all the misery and discomfort it causes - mood swings, depression, irritability. Well, believe it or not, there's one good thing we can chalk up to PMS - our memories improve.

According to Psychology Today:

A decidedly positive feature has been added to the list: better brain feats. Women with PMS may actually have greater memory and awareness of their surroundings than do their symptom-free counterparts.

Researchers at Dallas University tested women who were dealing with PMS and those who weren't using very stringent controls. They came up with this conclusion:

"Women with the disorder show heightened attention to their environment," says Atkins. And this perceptual focus is the key to better memory performance: "It would be difficult to recall something if it had not received some attention."

Why is this true? The researchers aren't sure, but it could be hormones.

A tip of the hat to Women's Health at About.com for bringing this story to my attention.