It is really important to evidence the new and emerging ideas on wellbeing with scientific facts. Below are some recent research papers, as more are published the list below will grow!
Research papers on Menopause and how it can affect neurodivergent women
The papers below are all recent and the evidence suggests that hormonal changes especially with declining oestrogen during perimenopause and menopause may intensify neurodivergent traits such as sensory sensitivity, fatigue, sensory sensitivity, executive dysfunction and emotional dysregulation (mood swings). It appears that decline in oestrogen that helps with dopamine production is a factor in a neurodivergent woman no longer being able to ‘mask’ their natural traits.
1. Grant, A., Axbey, H., Holloway, W., & Caemawr, S. (2025)
“Autism and the menopause transition: a mixed-methods systematic review.”
This comprehensive review analysed existing literature on autism and menopause. It found that autistic individuals tend to experience more severe vasomotor, psychological, and somatic symptoms than non-autistic individuals,highlighting how hormonal change interacts with neurobiological sensitivity.
URL: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/25739581251369452
2. Charlton, R. A., Happé, F. G., & Shand, A. J. (2025)
“Self-reported psychological, somatic, and vasomotor symptoms at different stages of the menopause for autistic and non-autistic people.”
This study compared menopause symptoms in autistic vs. non-autistic participants.
Autistic individuals reported significantly higher psychological and physical symptoms, suggesting heightened hormonal sensitivity and the need for tailored support during menopause.
URL: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jwh.2024.0784
PDF: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10205208/1/Charlton_Menopause_Autism_Paper_JWN_Open.pdf
3. Brady, M. J., Jenkins, C. A., & Gamble-Turner, J. M. (2024)
“A perfect storm: Autistic experiences of menopause and midlife.”
This qualitative study explored autistic women’s lived experiences of menopause. Many described it as a “perfect storm” — with intensified sensory overload, emotional instability, and hormonal shifts. The authors call for better clinical awareness of how menopause uniquely affects autistic women.
URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/13623613241244548
PDF: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/13623613241244548
4. Craddock, E. (2024)
“Being a woman is 100% significant to my experiences of ADHD and autism: Exploring the gendered implications of an adulthood AuDHD diagnosis.”
This paper focuses on women with both autism and ADHD (“AuDHD”). It found that perimenopause often worsens
ADHD-related symptoms like distractibility, fatigue, and mood swings — with many women only receiving a diagnosis at this life stage when oestrogen decline unmasked their traits.
URL: https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/15499/1/QHR_final_accepted_version_190424.pdf
5. Groenman, A. P., Torenvliet, C., & Radhoe, T. A. (2022)
“Menstruation and menopause in autistic adults: Periods of importance?”
This earlier but foundational study linked hormonal changes with neurodivergent experiences. The authors found that both menstruation and menopause heightened sensory and emotional responses in autistic adults — potentially due
to oestrogen decline affecting dopamine regulation.
URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/13623613211059721
PDF: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/13623613211059721
Overall Summary of these five papers:
Across all five studies, there is a growing consensus that menopause can amplify neurodivergent traits, making this life stage uniquely complex for autistic and ADHD women.
Common factors include:
Hormonal sensitivity and oestrogen decline
Impacts on cognition and emotional regulation (mood swings)
Heightened sensory and social stress
The research highlights the need for neurodiversity-aware perimenopause and menopause care, clinician education, and further exploration of how hormonal changes affect neuropsychological function in midlife.
Chris Popham Sykes from FreeMe has a great blog, which I also recommend:
https://freemehealth.com/blog/is-recovery-from-mecfs-or-long-covid-possible