Perimenopause is a hormonally dynamic transition marked not only by physical symptoms but also by heightened vulnerability to mood and cognitive disturbances that are frequently underrecognized or misattributed. This narrative review examines currently available tools for assessing mental health and cognitive function in perimenopausal women, including general psychiatric screeners such as the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder–7, menopause-specific instruments like the Menopause Rating Scale, Green Climacteric Scale, and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire, as well as cognitive assessments including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Mini-Mental State Examination.
The authors highlight that while these tools offer clinical utility, none are specifically designed to capture hormonally driven mood fluctuations and subjective cognitive…
