Women Who Breastfeed May Have Better Mental Health At The Age of 50
- Breastfeeding may give long-term health benefits to women in addition to the known benefits on the child.
- Breastfeeding can also influence mental health.
- However, breastfeeding has been diminishing after the industrial era; thus, it is important to understand the effects of breastfeeding on our lifespan.
- Researchers studied how breastfeeding influences mental health in women.
- The research involved neuropsychological test battery and interviewed Southern California women age 50 and above.
- A neuropsychological test battery is a test used to evaluate the condition and function of the brain, including the cause of abnormalities, the type, and localization/lateralization of brain injury.[1][2]
- The results showed that women who breastfed exhibited better mental performances compared to women who did not breastfeed.
- Previous studies have shown that breastfeeding is correlated to a lower risk of certain diseases such as type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and breast cancer.
- Researchers speculated that most women in the past after their menopausal stage have better cognitive performance due to the prevalence of breastfeeding.
Sources:
Molly Fox, Ph.D, Prabha Siddarth, Ph.D, Hanadi Ajam Oughli, M.D, Sarah A Nguyen, M.D, Michaela M Milillo, B.S, Yesenia Aguilar, M.S, Linda Ercoli, Ph.D, Helen Lavretsky, M.D., M.S, Women who breastfeed exhibit cognitive benefits after age 50, Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, 2021;, eoab027, https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoab027
[1] Walsh, K.W. (1991). Understanding Brain Damage: A Primer of Neuropsychological Evaluation (2nd. ed.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone
[2] Darby, D., & Walsh, K.W. (2005). Walsh’s Neuropsychology: A Clinical Approach, (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone.
