When the researchers looked at brain size, they found that for fighters who had increasing levels of tau
over time, there was a 7 percent
decline in the volume of their thalamus, which is located
in the center of the brain and regulates sleep, consciousness, alertness,
cognitive function and language while also sending sensory and movement signals to other portions of the brain.
Results show that
in comparison to women who experienced menopause after the age of 50, those with a premature menopause had a more than 40 % increased risk of poor performance on tasks assessing verbal fluency and visual memory and was associated with a 35 % increased risk of
decline in psychomotor speed (coordination between the brain and the muscles that brings about movement) and overall
cognitive function over 7 years.