{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,20]],"date-time":"2026-10-20T15:18:58Z","timestamp":1792509538217,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":108,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,16]],"date-time":"2025-09-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1757980800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)","award":["NRF-2021R1C1C2095006"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NRF-2021R1C1C2095006"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Menopause is a natural phase in a woman\u2019s life marked by the cessation of menstruation, typically accompanied by hormonal fluctuations that have significant impacts on physical and mental health. While much attention has been given to the physical symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and osteoporosis, the neurocognitive consequences of hormonal fluctuations during the menopausal transition and the subsequent sustained estrogen loss after menopause have received less focus. Estrogen receptors (ERs), specifically ER\u03b1 and ER\u03b2, play a critical role in maintaining brain health, influencing mood, memory, and cognition. This review explores the connection between estrogen receptor signaling and mental health during menopause, focusing on mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, as well as cognitive decline and dementia. We discuss the molecular mechanisms by which ERs modulate brain function, including their effects on neuroplasticity, neurotransmitter systems, and gene expression. The review also examines current clinical approaches to managing menopausal cognitive and mental health issues, including hormone replacement therapy and selective ER modulators, while emphasizing the need for further research into alternative therapies and individualized treatments. The importance of estrogen receptors in the menopausal brain and their potential as therapeutic targets is critically evaluated, aiming to shed light on this often-overlooked aspect of menopause and aging.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci15091003","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,17]],"date-time":"2025-09-17T05:59:51Z","timestamp":1758088791000},"page":"1003","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":32,"title":["Beyond Hot Flashes: The Role of Estrogen Receptors in Menopausal Mental Health and Cognitive Decline"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6172-7583","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jung Min","family":"Cho","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Functional Food Research Institute, Industry-University Cooperation Foundation, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan-si 38610, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jihye","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hybrid Cosmetics Research Institute, Industry-University Cooperation Foundation, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan-si 38610, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eun-Mi","family":"Ahn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Functional Food Research Institute, Industry-University Cooperation Foundation, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan-si 38610, Republic of Korea"},{"name":"Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan-si 38610, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5234-2537","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jaehoon","family":"Bae","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Functional Food Research Institute, Industry-University Cooperation Foundation, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan-si 38610, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ogc.2011.05.002","article-title":"The timing of the age at which natural menopause occurs","volume":"38","author":"Gold","year":"2011","journal-title":"Obstet. 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