Dear Cindy,
The only thing I have ever read about menopause & memory loss is that estrogen seems to help brain function and, as you know, when we go through menopause, our estrogen levels drop like a stone. This is not reason enough, however, to begin supplemental estrogen as there are other risks. Anecdotally, I can tell you that almost ALL women I know who are going through menopause report the same annoying symptom--I call it Swiss-cheese brain. I wrote about how I deal with it --see my past posts. The answer seems to be 1) have less on your plate so you're not stressed as much (and won't forget as much), 2) get adequate nutrition and exercise so your brain has everything it needs and 3) write everything down! Good luck.
--Toni