Menopause timing genes found

Tuesday May 26th, 2009

New genetic findings may help predict when a woman is likely to face her menopause, researchers reported yesterday.

Scientists have found up to 20 genetic variations that bring forward the menopause for a woman, a European conference was told.

Each one hastens it by about a year. The variations were found in four different places on two chromosomes, 19 and 20.

The findings came from an analysis of the genes of more than 10,000 women in Britain, the USA, the Netherlands, Iceland and Italy.

They were unveiled at the conference of the European Society of Human Genetics in Vienna, Austria.

Researcher Lisette Stolk, from Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands, said: "We know that ten years before menopause women are much less fertile, and five years before many are infertile.

"In Western countries, where women tend to have children later in life and closer to menopause, age at menopause can be an important factor in whether or not a particular woman is able to become a mother."

* A second study published last night warns that women approaching the menopause may suffer loss of learning ability.

In the journal Neurology, researchers say the problem surfaces during the period just before the menopause begins - but it is only temporary. The researchers say the problem might be treated by using hormone supplements.

Some 2,000 women took part in the research at the David Geffen Medical School, Los Angeles, USA.

Researcher Dr Gail Greendale said: "The good news is that the effect of perimenopause on learning seems to be temporary. Our study found that the amount of learning improved back to premenopausal levels during the postmenopausal stage."

Tags: Europe | Genetics | North America | UK News | Women’s Health & Gynaecology

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