The show begins with two poems by Lucille Clifton, "To My Last Period" and "To My Uterus," from her book 
Quilting: Poems 1987-1990 published by BOA. They were read by Dale Orlandersmith who has a collection of plays soon to be published by Vintage Press.
Dr. Goodwin then talked with Dr. Christiane Northrup, a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and author of the best-selling book 
Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom. Dr. Northrup said women go through some of the same mental changes during menopause as they do at adolescence.
This is because estrogen affects every cell the brain. Women who experience PMS are likely to have the most problems during peri-menopause and menopause, which combined take approximately 13 years. In cultures where status of women increases after menopause, there are fewer symptoms associated with this process. Research has shown that estrogen can delay the onset of Alzheimer's, according to some research studies as much as to 80%. The difference between natural and synthetic progesterone was discussed. Natural progesterone which is found in soybeans and wild Mexican yams is available in health food stores.
Dr. Northrup also publishes a monthly newsletter,
'Health Wisdom for Women." For information about the newsletter, call 1800-804-0935 or visit her Website. Dr. Northrup's book Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom is published by Bantam.
Singer, songwriter Sloan
Wainwright performed a song she wrote about menopause
just for this show. Sloan Wainwright most recent album is "From
Where You Are." You can visit her website at sloanwainright.com.
Baby boomers Marie Evans and Ann Shakeshaft discussed their humorous book Red Hot Mamas Do Menopause with Style published by Hysteria Publications. They believe humor can help women take control of the "pausin" process.
Dr. Goodwin was then joined by Dr. Sally Shaywitz professor of Pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine and co-director of Yale University Center for the Study of Learning and Attention and Dr. Frederick Naftolin professor and chair in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine and president of the North American Menopause Society. Dr. Shaywitz discussed a study with 46 post-menopausal women which found that the brain pattern of those on ERT had a high degree of plasticity, i.e., the ability to change, which resembled that found in younger people. Dr. Shaywitz believes the decision to take estrogen replacement theraphy is a very individual one a woman should make with her doctor.
Dr. Naftolin said 20 years of studying estrogen's effects on brain chemistry and synapses connections s has shown that estrogen is able to regulate how memory functions. With one kind of dementia, it has been shown that estrogen is able to change the protein involved in forming the lesions found in the brain of people with Alzheirmers. Aging males also produce less estrogen and testosterone which affects their memory and risk for dementia.
John Hockenberry's weekly commentary contrasted the ways men and women deal with mid-life changes.
More information about menopause is available in Menopause and the Mind by Dr. Claire Warga.
