Breastfeeding might help prevent cognitive decline after menopause

Breastfeeding might be protective to a women's brain after she goes through menopause. In a new study published in the journal Evolution, Medicine and Public Health, researchers at UCLA found that women over the age of 50 who had breastfed their babies earlier in life performed better on cognitive tests compared to women who had never breastfed. In fact, they performed better in all four cognitive areas measured - learning, delayed recall, executive functioning and processing. The researchers also observed that the longer time a woman spent breastfeeding was associated with better cognitive performance. It seems that breastfeeding might be neuroprotective later in life.