Menopause changes everything. Not only do many women experience some of the more common – but temporary – symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes and mood swings, but there are some surprising ways menopause impacts our bodies in much deeper ways. We know, for example, that bones can get thinner and weaker with the drops in estrogen, and just about everything gets drier. But menopause affects our brain health and functioning in ways we are only starting to understand.