Summary
This research project investigates how the menopausal transition and lifetime ovarian hormone exposure influence neural metabolism, connectivity, and pathology, aiming to understand their role in the increased risk of Alzheimer's disease in women.
What they want
The project will longitudinally follow perimenopausal women through the menopausal transition over a 5-year period to measure changes in intrinsic network connectivity, brain glucose metabolism, amyloid pathology, and cognitive function. These measures will also be collected from premenopausal and postmenopausal women for comparison. The research aims to test the hypothesis that reductions in ovarian hormones during menopause lead to hypometabolism and disrupted network connectivity, but that greater lifetime exposure to ovarian hormones moderates these effects, providing a protective mechanism against Alzheimer's disease pathology.
Deliverables
- A comprehensive model of the neural effects of menopause on Alzheimer's disease and cognition
- Insights into developmental factors conferring potential resilience to menopause-related neural changes
- Data on intrinsic network connectivity, brain glucose metabolism, amyloid pathology, and cognitive function
Technical requirements
- Resting state fMRI
- PET (Positron Emission Tomography)
