Experiencing brain fog during the menopausal transition is a very common complaint. Unfortunately not enough people – including health professionals – really understand what is happening in the brain during menopause. In the simplest terms for a short post: oestrogen is important for memory formation.  Both men and women have oestrogen in their brains as oestrogen is a brain player not just a sex hormone. A reduction in oestrogen leads to changes in the amounts of a specific neurotransmitter required for memory formation. Be confident that you are not imagining things -your memory has deteriorated with menopause and that does not mean you are developing dementia.  The disruption is temporary in most cases.  Want to learn more – contact Dr Nicola Gates