 Menopausal Issues
 Climacteric and Postmenop.
Quality of Life
Osteoporosis
Cardiovascular Diseases
Oncology
Skin & Sensory Organs
Sex & sexuality
Psycological Symptoms
On Going Studies
Congresses
Associations
Links
Contact Us
|
Menopausal Symptoms the early symptoms are due to the functional
modification occurring in the Central Nervous System (CNS) that
are correlated with the sharp decrease of estrogen levels. In
the late part of menopause, there is onset of degenerative alteration
involving the estrogen responsive tissue/organ that became clinically
evident after years. A part of postmenopausal women experience
those symptoms that may create a great physical and psychological
discomfort. Some of those symptoms may be transitory. The hot
flushes and the psychic symptoms slowly decrease during the
years and may be tolerated. The most important consequences
for the postmenopausal women health are associate with the long-term
effects of estrogens deficiency, like decrease in BMD, wreckage
of lipid serum profile and impairment of brain function.
Hot Flushes this is the symptom that affects the 65-80%
of women in the menopausal years, and represents the typical
manifestation of menopause, expression of clinical modification
of hypothalamic thermoregulatory center. The hot flushes may
last for few minutes or more than an hour. The hot flush is
generally report as a sudden, transient sensation ranging from
warmth to intense heat that spreads over the body, particularly
on the chest, face, and head, typically accompanied by flushing,
perspiration, profuse sweat and often followed by chill. One
of the majors complains of women with hot flush is that their
sleep is disrupted with implication in mood state. Profuse sweating
during a hot flush is another of the most bothersome complaints;
it can be an embarrassment, particularly at work or in social
situations. However, the HRT may treat this bothersome symptom.
Sleep disturbances The sleep disturbance is due to the
beginning of hot flushes during the night, but they may represent
the results of psychological problems correlated to change in
social role that occur in postmenopausal period. However, this
sort of manifestation is more frequently correlated with the
alteration of thermoregulatory homeostasis.
Psychological symptoms Irritability, depression, anxiety,
are manifestations that frequently onset in the menopausal period.
Steroids are surely involved in the trophism, modulation and
function of CNS improving memory capacity and concentration.
The decrease in estrogen blood level determines alteration of
the neuroendocrin systems that regulate the brain function (mood
and behavior). The great part of the most recent study
put in evidence that the psychological problems that occur in
menopause are strongly correlated with the estrogen deficiency.
Sexuality After menopause some woman refer a decrease in
the libido and frequency of intercourse. Other may have benefit
from this situation, because menopause makes them free from
an unwanted pregnancy. However the majority of postmenopausal
women do not report any change in sexual function and desire.
In the postmenopausal period the sexual behavior may be influenced
by objective problems like vaginal dryness, dispareunia, or
by psychological and social implications. The society in which
the postmenopausal woman live, and the religion rule that the
woman observe can strongly influence the postmenopausal woman
sexual behavior, i.e. linked the sexual activity only with the
target of pregnancy and not with the enjoyment per se. In this
way, the woman has to know that the resolution of genitourinary
complaints should be supported by a psychological assistance.
CNS estrogens influence many of biological process that
take place in CNS as neurotransmitter synthesis and release,
neuronal plasticity, functional organization and development
of the brain, behavior, cognitive functions etc. The decrease
in estrogen serum level is associated with deleterious effects
that are not only limited to those regions of the brain involved
in sexual differentiation and function. Despite this evidence,
the role and the importance of estrogens in human CNS function
has largely been ignored by the woman and often by physician.
A correct HRT regimen may resolve those problems and preserve
the CNS from the effects of aging.
Alzheimer disease The Alzheimer disease (AD) is a degenerative
pathology of CNS that impairs the cognitive and behavioral functions.
After 65 years, the frequency of AD is two-three time greater
in women that in men. The 30-50% of women over 85 years is affected
by AD. Certainly, the age, the family history, the skull trauma
are universally recognized risk factors, but in the postmenopausal
women the estrogen deficiency seems to be one of the most important
factors in the etiology of AD. Since the estrogen deficiency
is a risk factor that may be corrected, an early therapeutic
intervention with HRT protects against the degenerative alteration
that conduct to AD clinical onset.
|
