Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2014 Oct;79(2):142-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2014.05.014. Epub 2014 Jun 2.

Menopause and depression: is there a link?

Josephine Vivian-Taylor  1 , Martha Hickey  2
Affiliations
Review

Menopause and depression: is there a link?

Josephine Vivian-Taylor et al. Maturitas. 2014 Oct.

Abstract

Aim: Depression is common and may have significant implications for the individual, their families and work and for the health care system. The menopause transition (MT) may be an 'at risk' time for the development of depression. This review aims to explore the relationship between depression and MT and the complex interaction between the biological, psychological and social factors that inform it.

Methods: The literature on depressive disorders and MT is reviewed.

Results and conclusions: Longitudinal studies have demonstrated an association between the menopause transition (MT) and an increase in depressive symptoms. A trend towards higher rates of depressive disorders during the MT, has also been shown, although not always reaching statistical significance. Risk factors for the development of depressive symptoms and depression in the MT include the presence of vasomotor symptoms (VMS), a personal history of depression (particularly depression that is related to pregnancy or hormonal changes through the menstrual cycle), surgical menopause, adverse life events, and negative attitudes to menopause and ageing. A treatment approach to depression during the MT exploits the biological as well as the psychosocial factors that are likely to be contributing in an individual.

Keywords: Depression; Menopause; Midlife; Vasomotor menopausal symptoms.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

LinkOut - more resources