Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder which affects at least 1 in 10 women, has been linked with potential cognitive issues in midlife, a new study has found. PCOS has long been known to have symptoms like excess body hair or missed periods. But now, cognitive dysfunction later in life has been added to the list of other potential effects of the disease. The research, published in the journal Neurology, was carried out by the University of California, San Francisco. It was conducted on around 907 female participants, aged between 18 to 30, for a period of 30 years.
For the research, the participants completed tests on memory, verbal abilities, attention and processing speed. Researchers found that on the attention test, the 66 women with PCOS scored about 11% lower on average compared with participants without the condition. Those with the condition also scored lower on measurements of memory and verbal abilities, as per the study.
"While (PCOS) has been linked to metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes that can lead to heart problems, less is known about how this condition affects brain health," said study author Dr. Heather G. Huddleston, director of the University of California San Francisco's PCOS clinic and research program.
"Our results suggest that people with this condition have lower memory and thinking skills and subtle brain changes at midlife. This could impact a person on many levels, including quality of life, career success and financial security," she added.
The study also found, via brain scans, that compared with those without PCOS, 25 people with the condition had white matter in poorer condition, which can be an indicator of brain ageing.
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Speaking to CNN, professor and director of the Women's Mental Health Research Programme at the University of Illinois Chicago, Pauline Maki said that the scientific report "is one of the few studies to investigate cognitive functioning and brain outcomes in those women at midlife". Ms Maki wasn't involved in the study, but she added that the findings highlight "potential cognitive vulnerabilities in women with PCOS, though it's important to know that these are cognitive weaknesses, not impairments".
"In other words, they are performing worse than other women on these tests, but they are not performing in the impaired range," Ms Maki told the outlet.
Notably, the telltale signs of PCOS include menstrual cycle changes, skin changes such as increased facial and body hair and acne, abnormal growths in the ovaries, and infertility.
