Menopause has emerged as an important health topic (Dalvi, 2024). It is now recognized that sex hormones and the menopause transition not only affect reproductive health, but health more broadly (Bauer et al. 2026). There is mounting evidence concerning how hormonal changes and treatments may be linked to the onset of significant health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and cognitive...
Audiologists should consider menopause status when assessing auditory and cognitive complaints in middle-aged women, though current evidence is not yet strong enough to recommend specific hormonal screening protocols in routine audiology practice.
Recognizing menopause as a contributor to auditory-cognitive aging could open new screening and intervention windows for a large and growing patient demographic.
- 01Sex hormones, particularly estrogen, appear to influence both hearing ability and cognitive function.
- 02The menopause transition may accelerate auditory and cognitive aging beyond what age alone explains.
- 03The article frames menopause as a hearing-health issue, not just a reproductive one.
- 04Published in a Canadian audiology journal context, suggesting growing professional awareness.
- 05More research is needed before clinical protocols can be updated.
Menopause is a significant factor in hearing health beyond its role in reproductive health.
studypartially supportedSex hormone changes during menopause affect both auditory and cognitive aging.
studypartially supported- Publication type
- review
- Evidence level
- 5
- Population
- Women undergoing or post-menopause transition
- Intervention
- Examination of sex hormone changes during menopause
Primary outcomes
Auditory aging outcomes; Cognitive aging outcomes