Two-thirds of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are women — but why?
In this episode, we unpack the neurological, hormonal, and social drivers that uniquely affect women’s brain health during the menopausal transition — from estrogen’s protective role in the brain to the misunderstood history of hormone replacement therapy.
We discuss:
- Why women face a higher risk of Alzheimer’s than men
- How menopause accelerates brain aging (and how it starts earlier than is often expected)
- The role of estrogen in brain metabolism and neuroprotection
- The real story behind hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
- The impact of genes like APOE4 on women’s brain health
- How lifestyle factors like stress, sleep, and cognitive activity can help reduce the impact of neurological changes onset by menopause
To help us tell this story, we welcome three world-renowned women’s health experts to the podcast:
Podcast Guests
Maria Shriver
Founder of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement, journalist, and relentless advocate for gender equity in brain health research.
Dr. Lisa Mosconi
Director of the Women’s Brain Initiative, author of ‘The Menopause Brain’, and pioneering researcher in brain imaging and hormonal neuroscience.
Lisa Genova
Neuroscientist and bestselling author of ‘Still Alice.’ Which was then adapted into a film starring Julianne Moore, who won the 2015 Best Actress Oscar for her role as Alice Howland.
Check out more information on menopause by reading our menopause-focused newsletter.
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