Speaking of Psychology Hot flashes, heart health and hormones: Rethinking menopause, with Rebecca Thurston, PhD
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Sep 3, 2025 In this enlightening discussion, clinical health psychologist Rebecca Thurston, PhD, dissects the complexities of menopause and its impact on women's health. She reveals how hormonal shifts can lead to troubling symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes. Thurston also uncovers the links between these symptoms and long-term risks for cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s. Plus, she explores empowering aspects of midlife, alongside evolving treatment options, including the role of trauma in shaping menopause experiences.
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A Narrowed Thermostat Explains Hot Flashes
- Hot flashes stem from a narrowed thermoneutral zone causing exaggerated heat-dissipation responses to small temperature changes.
- Naomi Rance's neurobiology work locates the mechanism in hypothalamic KNDy (neurokinin) neurons linking thermoregulation and reproductive control.
Hot Flashes Predict Vascular Risk
- Women with frequent hot flashes show poorer endothelial function and greater atherosclerosis on vessel imaging.
- Persistent hot flashes in midlife predicted a roughly 70% higher risk of heart attacks and strokes later, independent of standard risk factors.
Overnight Hot Flashes Tie To Brain Aging Signals
- Objectively measured overnight hot flashes link to greater white matter hyperintensities and lower plasma amyloid markers—both markers of later dementia risk.
- These associations were not explained by hormones, sleep, or mood differences.