Associations of vascular risk and menopause history with Alzheimer's disease in women
Description: Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia. Two-thirds of Canadians suffering from Alzheimer's disease are women. The reasons for women's increased risk for Alzheimer's disease are unknown. Menopause occurs when a decline in a hormone called estrogen causes middle-aged women to stop having menstrual periods. Interestingly, going through menopause (and especially early menopause) leads to an increase in cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Cardiovascular conditions are associated with dementia and brain pathology in both sexes, but more so in women. This study will investigate the possibility that women's increased risk for Alzheimer's disease is related to both menopause and increased cardiovascular risk. I will examine whether the combination of early menopause and vascular risk factors leads to accelerated cognitive decline and Alzheimer's brain changes in postmenopausal women. To investigate these questions, I will analyze data from adults aged 40-85 who are participating in Canadian and American observational studies. I expect that younger age at menopause and the presence of vascular conditions will work together to increase the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease brain changes in women. This study is important because rates of dementia are rising in Canada's aging population. Understanding why women are more vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease is crucial for developing effective ways to prevent and treat dementia in women. If earlier menopause and vascular conditions together increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, interventions targeting both estrogen loss (such as estrogen replacement therapy) and improved vascular health could substantially reduce the rates of dementia in women.
Amount: CA$155,000
Funding type: fellowship
Funder scheme: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships
Start date: 2023-09-01
End date: 2026-08-31
Investigator: Madeline Wood Alexander
Institution: University of Toronto
Subfield: Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Funded outputs count: 0
Funder award ID: 187533_1
OpenAlex ID: G5772322902