San Francisco, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/22/2013 -- Hot flashes are an uncomfortable part of going through menopause. Most women experience hot flashes as they go through menopause. Hot flashes can cause uncomfortable sweating and noticeable flushing on the face.

Today, various health care products have promised to cure menopausal hot flashes such as http://www.kuhlcare.com/hot-flash-relief/. Thanks to new research on the subject, health care companies have been able to pinpoint the source of hot flashes and prevent those instances from occurring. A recent study by the Wayne State University School of Medicine took menopause research a step further by identifying the neural origins of hot flashes.

The study involved twenty healthy menopausal women between the ages of 47 and 58. These women reported experiencing 6 or more hot flashes per day on a regular basis. Researchers at the Wayne State University School of Medicine collected skin conductance levels to identify the precise moment at which hot flashes begin to occur. Simultaneously, researchers also measured brain activity and the results were surprising.

Industry analyst Margaret Waterton explains what the researchers found:

“These researchers focused their study on the brain stem and its sub-regions in particular, and they found that activity begins to rise in these errors prior to a hot flash occurring. Certain areas of the brain – like the medullary and dorsal raphe – were expected to be linked to the body’s thermal regulation system. However, the real surprise is that forebrain regions like the insula, which normally control someone’s personal perception, also displayed higher levels of activity prior to the hot flash occurring.”

The research illustrates the complexity of brain mechanisms and how one part of the brain can be linked to countless different bodily functions. In a more practical sense, the research is also expected to help pharmaceutical companies develop more powerful products to reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes.

Waterton explains the impact that this research could have on the health care industry:

“This is a huge stride forward for the menopause industry and especially for health care companies that make products designed to alleviate menopausal symptoms. The work done by these neuroscientists goes a long way towards being able to totally relieve some of the most irritating symptoms of menopause.”

Those interested in learning more about the study can read the full report in Cerebral Cortex, an Oxford University Press journal.

About Margaret Waterton
Margaret Waterton is a blogger and writer concerned with women’s lifestyle issues and health.