Revista Tópicos · Oct 18, 2026

HOW NEUROSCIENCE EXPLAINS EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES IN WOMEN DURING PERIMENOPAUSE

By Nieva IS, de Alencar AC

Perimenopause constitutes an important transitional phase in a woman's life, marked by changes in ovarian function and by alterations that can have repercussions on brain functioning, cognition, emotions, and behavior. Although it is often understood merely as a stage related to reproduction, the scientific literature demonstrates that this period involves neuroendocrine modifications capable of interacting with systems responsible for thermoregulation, sleep, energy metabolism, attention, memory, and emotional regulation. This article aims to understand, in light of the neuroscientific literature, the possible relationships between the emotional and behavioral changes observed in women during perimenopause and the processes of brain adaptation and remodeling involved in this transition. This is a bibliographic research study, with a qualitative approach and an exploratory and descriptive nature, grounded in scientific studies on neuroendocrinology, neuroimaging, cognition, mental health, and menopausal transition symptoms. The analysis indicates that emotional and behavioral manifestations cannot be explained exclusively by hormonal changes, since they result from the interaction among neuroendocrine fluctuations, brain functioning, sleep, vasomotor symptoms, individual history, psychosocial conditions, and prior vulnerabilities. It is concluded that perimenopause can be understood as a complex neurobiological transition, requiring an integrated reading of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of the female experience.

doi.org/10.70773/revistatopicos/792275626Open accessMechanisms