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Mood and the Menopause

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Key points

  • About 20% of people will experience depression in their lifetime. Women are nearly twice as likely as men to develop depression.
  • Perimenopause is associated with a significant increase in the risk of clinically significant depressive symptoms
  • Risk factors for depression during perimenopause include a prior history of depression (although there is still an increased risk in women with no history of depression), stress & trauma (early life and current), psychosocial and socioeconomic factors.
  • Mechanistically, perimenopausal hormone fluctuations may interact with brain chemistry and circuitry to contribute to perimenopausal depression risk.
  • The presentation of mood disturbance in the menopause transition appears unique with anxiety, sadness, increased anger, irritability and fluctuation in severity of symptoms. Assessment of psychosocial stressors, menopausal symptoms and mood is necessary.
  • Most women will benefit from education about the menopause transition and are likely to respond to treatment, if needed.
Caroline Gurvich

Caroline is an Associate Professor and a clinical neuropsychologist. She is the Deputy Director of the HER Centre Australia, Monash University, and Head of the “Cognition and Hormones Group". Caroline has a research interest in the neuropsychology of women's mental health, particularly in understanding how hormones influence cognitive functioning. Caroline's research combines neuropsychological assessments with eye movement research to clearly characterise cognition. Caroline has over 120 publications that have ultimately contributed to a better understanding of how biological factors influence symptoms and cognition in mental health and mental illness. She is the recipient of several awards, prizes and competitive grant funding, including NHMRC project grants, an NHMRC early career fellowship, Rebecca Cooper Foundation project grant as well as institutional and philanthropic funding. She is a dedicated supervisor to PhD candidates, honours students, neuropsychology registrars and medical student placements. Caroline has established ongoing biodatabanks to better understand biological mechanisms underpinning symptoms across a range of neuropsychiatric disorders.