Introductory Chapter: A Multidisciplinary Look at Menopause

Abstract

1. Menopause as a natural process Menopause is a natural and inevitable period of ageing in women that is well known to represent the end of reproductive life through the failure of ovarian function, accompanied by a decrease in estrogen and progestin production in the periphery and brain [1, 2]. Sexual hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, help regulate metabolic function and interact with a wide range of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, λ-aminobutyric acid, and glutamate, among others [3]. Lower concentrations of these hormones during menopause have been associated with the development of specific diseases. Hormonal changes during menopause are also involved in sex differences in brain disorders that develop in aged individuals. The United States National Institutes of Health established a research priority to encourage investigations of the impact of gender on normal brain function and central nervous system-related diseases [4]. Studying menopause from a multidisciplinary perspective will help unveil different factors that affect health in this specific stage of life in women. During menopause, lower hormone production is related to a higher incidence of vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, osteoporosis, cognitive deterioration, irritability , anxiety, and mood disorders (e.g., depression) [5-8]. Menopause can occur gradually as a natural ageing process, culminating around age 50 years, or it can occur suddenly after surgical procedures, such as oophorectomy, salpingo-oophorectomny, and hysterectomy [9]. When menopause is caused by surgical manipulations, the negative symptoms can be more severe than when it occurs naturally [10]. Changes that occur during menopause interact with genetic, nutritional, sociocultural, and demographic factors [11, 12], differentially impacting quality of life in menopausal women. Research on menopause requires considerations of biology , physiology, sociology, and psychology to achieve better knowledge of this physiological