Risk of high depressive symptoms after the final menstrual period: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN).

Objective: To examine depressive symptoms during postmenopause and the contribution of depressive symptom trajectories before the final menstrual period (FMP) and psychosocial/health factors to postmenopause depressive symptoms.

Methods: Longitudinal analysis of depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale) collected every 1 to 2 years from 1996 to 2017 from 1,551 midlife women in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation for a median follow-up of 19.0 years.

Lowered progesterone metabolite excretion and a variable LH excretion pattern are associated with vasomotor symptoms but not negative mood in the early perimenopausal transition: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Objective: The menopausal transition is characterized by progressive changes in ovarian function and increasing circulating levels of gonadotropins, with some women having irregular menstrual cycles well before their final menstrual period. These observations indicate a progressive breakdown of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis often associated with an increase in menopausal symptoms. Relationships between vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and depressed mood and sleep as well as a bidirectional association between VMS and depressed mood in mid-life women have been reported, but the endocrine foundations and hormone profiles associated with these symptoms have not been well described.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Women's Life Event Exposure Across Midlife.

Objective: Stressful life events are associated with poorer physical, cognitive, and mental health. Examining life events trends across midlife illustrates normative experiences of stress in a critical life period for intervention and disease prevention. Further, there is a critical need for research with racially/ethnically diverse samples to identify differences in life event exposure, as they may relate to later health disparities.

Longitudinal Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Multidimensional Sleep Health: The SWAN Sleep Study.

Background: Depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances disproportionately affect midlife women. While there may be a bidirectional association, few studies have examined whether depressive symptoms are longitudinally associated with subsequent sleep. Sleep is typically considered unidimensional, despite emerging evidence that multidimensional sleep health provides novel information on the sleep-health link.

Does childhood maltreatment or current stress contribute to increased risk for major depression during the menopause transition?

Background: The menopausal transition (MT) poses an increased risk for major depression (MD), but not for all women. Current and past stress are toxic risk factors for depression throughout life. The MT may be a time of increased sensitivity to stress, especially among women with a lifetime history of major depressive disorder (MDD).