UR study examines menopause's overlooked issue

I'm one of the many women who think that research in general on menopause is woefully lacking. I was heartened to see this article from the Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle on a study (University of Rochester) is conducting on how peri/menopause affects memory (cognition). I know when I started the peri/menopausal transition I truly wondered if I was in the early stages of dementia, I grasped for words, couldn't remember anything, and had a terrible time comprehending textbooks (I was in graduate school at the time, so it was a mess!). We already know that progesterone, one of the hormones that drops in the peri/menopausal transition, is important for brain function, and it is also known that estrogen protects the brain. Stands to reason that when the body loses those two important hormones, then yes, cognition will be affected.