A lost train of thought, a once familiar word that suddenly will not surface, or a forgotten reason for entering a room can be unsettling. For older adults, such lapses may immediately raise fears about Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Medical experts say these mental blips can also accompany hormone changes later in life. Women may be especially affected as estrogen declines during perimenopause and menopause, creating memory concerns that can resemble something more serious.

Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl, a professor of neurology at UCLA and one of the founders of Cleopatra RX in Los Angeles, says women with memory struggles in midlife should first measure current cognition against their own earlier performance. That personal comparison can offer a more meaningful starting point than immediate assumptions of disease.

“I think they should listen to themselves,” Voskuhl told Fox News Digital at the Livelong Women’s Health Summit in New York City on Friday.

Voskuhl’s message was direct: “They know. Just ask yourself.”

Her recommended benchmark reaches back a decade. “The first question is, are you worse than you were 10 years ago?” she said, referring to the Voskuhl Brain Fog Menopause Assessment used at UCLA’s Comprehensive Menopausal Program.

Women can think about what they were doing 10 years earlier and whether they were already struggling to find words, multitask or process information quickly. Voskuhl said they will remember how their abilities at that time compare with their performance now.

That exercise may help identify whether cognitive changes coincide with menopause, while also giving patients and physicians a baseline for following symptoms over time. Voskuhl’s approach centers the patient’s knowledge of her own previous abilities.

Routine memory tests may not detect small changes in everyday cognition. The medical term is subjective cognitive decline, meaning patients sense a difference even when neurological testing remains normal.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that roughly one in nine adults experience subjective cognitive decline. Yet fewer than half discuss those memory concerns with a health care professional.

Voskuhl illustrated the limits of routine testing by comparing menopausal brain fog with a high performing athlete who senses a personal decline. “If somebody is an NFL football player and he says, 'I'm weaker than I used to be,' and I go and do my neurological test, I say, 'Oh no, you're still strong,'” Voskuhl said.

The athlete’s concern still matters even when a standard neurological test finds no obvious weakness. In the same way, women may recognize subtle cognitive changes that a clinical assessment does not register.

Distinguishing hormonal brain fog from neurodegenerative disease depends largely on how the memory problems affect daily function. Menopausal brain fog generally involves temporary and inconsistent lapses, while reasoning ability and independence remain intact.

According to Mayo Clinic, these symptoms can include misplaced items and slower processing speed. They may also fluctuate and become worse during periods of stress or poor sleep.

Early dementia, by contrast, involves persistent and progressive memory loss that disrupts basic daily activities. Warning signs can include difficulty managing finances, following familiar driving routes or exercising sound judgment.

Experts advise seeking a thorough medical evaluation when cognitive concerns emerge. Brain MRI scans or vascular screenings may be used to rule out underlying problems such as blood vessel disease or thyroid imbalances.

Women who believe their concerns are being dismissed should not simply accept that response, according to Voskuhl. “When they have doctors who don't listen to them, they need to find another doctor.”