Dr. Rachel Moseley, UK

”When my autism broke”: what we know about autistic menopause
*Deze sessie is Engelstalig

Samenvatting:
A growing body of work suggests that neurodivergent people, including those who are autistic, can find menopause very challenging. Menopause is one of several neurological transition points within the lifespan of people assigned female at birth. Many of its symptoms are neurological, affecting cognition, mood, and brain-body interactions (such as temperature control) – as such, they stand to particularly disrupt those with pre-existing neurological differences. Menopausal symptoms can also be particularly severe in individuals with pre-existing mental and physical health conditions, which are exacerbated by the transition, and in people whose minds and bodies have been affected by chronic stress – foreboding difficulties for autistic populations, who typically exhibit poorer health, wellbeing, and greater lifetime stress.

Indeed, across several studies, including two large-scale quantitative approaches, we showed that some autistic people experience a heightening of existing cognitive, emotional and sensory difficulties during menopause; for some, this is extreme enough to lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Dr Moseley will summarise research findings since the seminal work in 2020, including forthcoming data from a recent longitudinal study; consider the reasons why autistic people have a particularly difficult time during menopause; and highlight what these tell us in so far as improving support and awareness.

Spreker
Dr Rachel Moseley completed her PhD in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, UK, and is now Principle Academic in Psychology at Bournemouth University. Her early work focused on brain structure and function in autistic people, but her research now centres on mental health and wellbeing in autistic adults, particularly around suicide and self-injury. Dr Moseley and colleagues conducted the seminal work on menopause in autistic adults, highlighting it as a potential crisis point, and continue to advance knowledge in this limited field. Dr Moseley is herself autistic, diagnosed in adulthood.