Women's Brain Health Initiative

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Women's Brain Health Initiative

Raising funds for research and education to combat women's brain aging diseases. Because our grey matter, matters.
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Women’s Brain Health Initiative (WBHI) helps protect women’s brain health by focusing its resources on research to combat brain-aging disorders that disproportionately affect women, and by creating compelling preventative health education programs, grounded in science, so there is a greater understanding by the public of the best ways to prolong their cognitive vitality. Our Six Pillars of Brain Health are the most important lifestyle choices that protect your brain health as you age.

05/26/2026

Emerging research on the “liver-brain axis” suggests liver health may play a larger role in cognitive function than previously understood.

Inflammation, toxin buildup, metabolic dysfunction and disrupted sleep linked to liver disease may all affect memory, focus and brain health over time.

While the science is still evolving, it highlights the importance of whole-body health in protecting the brain.

Share this with someone who needs to know.

05/16/2026

Alzheimer’s doesn’t only steal memories. It often brings silence, isolation and stigma into families already carrying so much.

That’s why conversations matter. Every story shared helps replace fear with understanding, shame with compassion, and darkness with hope.

Marcia Gay Harden has been a powerful voice in helping bring Alzheimer’s and caregiving out of the shadows. Through her support of Women’s Brain Health Initiative and her willingness to speak openly about her family’s experience, she is helping spark conversations that so many families have been afraid to have.

By sharing her story, Marcia reminds people facing Alzheimer’s that they are not alone and helps shine a brighter light on the urgent need for greater awareness, support for caregivers, and investment in women’s brain health research. 💜

05/14/2026

New research continues to reinforce a powerful message: brain health is shaped long before symptoms appear.

From reducing visceral fat and staying physically active, to lifelong learning, emotional resilience, immune health, and social connection, emerging science is revealing how deeply interconnected our brains are with the way we live, move, think, and connect.

Many of these findings are especially important for women, whose brain health trajectories are uniquely influenced by menopause, inflammation, caregiving stress, and longer life expectancy.

But many questions still remain unanswered. Why are women disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s disease? How do hormones, immunity, metabolism, stress, and social factors interact across a woman’s lifespan? And most importantly, what interventions can truly change outcomes?

That’s why supporting research matters.

At Women’s Brain Health Initiative, we fund and accelerate s*x- and gender-informed brain aging research while translating emerging science into practical, evidence-informed education people can use today.

Because protecting the brain starts long before disease begins.
 Share with someone who needs to know.

05/12/2026

You don’t have to wait to find out.
It takes, on average, two years to receive a dementia diagnosis in Canada. By then, the window for early action is often already closing. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Early awareness gives you something powerful: time�Time to make lifestyle changes�Time to plan on your own terms�Time to access treatments when they’re most effective�Time to have the conversations that matter
That’s why tools like XpressO matter.
�A simple, free 5-minute check you can take from your phone or computer to understand your baseline and track changes over time.

Because this isn’t about diagnosis. It’s about noticing sooner and acting earlier.

Women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Knowing where you stand today is one of the most proactive steps you can take to protect your future brain health.
Start paying attention to your brain the same way you do the rest of your health.

Your brain deserves a check-up, too.
Check comments for the link to the free assessment. 🧠

05/10/2026

A moment like this stays with you.

At the Women’s Brain Health Summit, Marcia Gay Harden shared a deeply personal story from the final chapter of her mother’s Alzheimer’s journey, surrounded by her own children. In a time when words were fading and memories were slipping away, something else remained.

Connection. Presence.Love.

Even in the fog of late-stage disease, warmth still reached her. It mattered. It was felt.
For anyone walking this path on Mother’s Day or any day, this is a reminder:�what you give still lands.
�Your voice. Your touch. Your presence. They still break through.

You're not alone. Free caregiving tools, guides, and support 💜 Check the link in the comments.

05/09/2026

Epilepsy affects 51.7 million people globally and impacts men and women equally, but women experience unique challenges shaped by both biology and lived realities.

For women, epilepsy is closely tied to life stages like puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, influencing symptoms, treatment, and outcomes. Gender factors such as caregiving roles, stigma, and access to care further shape their experience.

Historically, research has overlooked s*x differences, often failing to analyze data separately for women. This leaves critical gaps in understanding, especially for decisions around contraception, pregnancy, and medication safety.

Effective care requires recognizing both:
* S*x: biological factors like hormones and metabolism
* Gender: societal roles and access to care

Management becomes more complex across a woman’s lifespan. Seizures may fluctuate with the menstrual cycle, medications can affect fertility and contraception, and pregnancy requires careful planning since many anti-seizure drugs carry risks, but stopping treatment is often not an option.

Training gaps persist, with many clinicians underprepared to address women-specific neurological needs. Efforts like specialized training and global education initiatives aim to close these gaps and improve care.

Bottom line: S*x- and gender-informed care is essential to safely and effectively manage epilepsy in women across every stage of life.

05/07/2026

What Jann Arden shares here is so honest and deeply human. What she first understood as her parents’ forgetting carried her own sense of shame; she came to recognize that it was also fear, both theirs and her own.

That shift in understanding changes everything. It softens how we respond, replacing judgment with compassion and distance with connection.

So many families live this quietly. Naming it helps all of us meet these moments with more empathy and less silence.
�You're not alone.
💜Free caregiving tools, guides, and support link in comments

04/30/2026

You don't need to work out every day to protect your brain.

A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that individuals who exercised once or twice a week had a 13% to 15% lower risk of mild dementia than inactive people, a benefit similar to that of those who exercised more often.

The real challenge isn't how often. It's staying consistent.

BrainFit helps you build brain-healthy habits, track your progress, and stay on track. Free, evidence-backed, and 100% confidential.

�Check the comments for the link to download BrainFit for free.

04/25/2026

Excess belly (visceral) fat is linked to early brain changes associated with dementia, including brain shrinkage and harmful protein buildup, often decades before symptoms appear.

This is especially relevant for women, who are at higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and tend to accumulate more abdominal fat after menopause due to hormonal changes.

Visceral fat is particularly harmful because it drives inflammation, insulin resistance, and vascular damage, all of which can accelerate brain aging.

Bottom line: For women, managing abdominal fat through healthy habits like nutrition, physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight is a powerful, modifiable way to protect long-term brain health.

04/23/2026

Your brain is hungry. Feed it well.

Spring brings some of the best superfoods for your brain and most of them are probably already at your local market. Asparagus for folate. Salmon for omega-3s. Artichokes for gut health (which is brain health). Even pineapple fights inflammation in the brain.

Swipe through for 9 spring superfoods your brain will thank you for.

Want recipes? We have over 600 brain-healthy superfood recipes ready for you. �Check the link in the comments for access to the recipes.

04/19/2026

Growing evidence suggests that cancer and neurodegenerative diseases share genes and biological pathways.

Multiple studies have found that people with Alzheimer’s have a significantly lower risk of developing cancer, and cancer survivors have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

A large meta-analysis reported that:
* Individuals with Alzheimer’s were about 47% less likely to develop cancer
* Cancer patients were about 39% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s

Other population studies have shown similar magnitudes:
* ~35–37% lower risk of Alzheimer’s in people with cancer
* ~42–50% lower risk of cancer in those with Alzheimer’s

This inverse association has been observed repeatedly across large cohorts and long-term studies and is considered robust, though not fully understood biologically.

This unusual pattern for cancer is similar to that seen in Parkinson’s disease.

The inverse relationship between cancer and Alzheimer’s has been reported in major peer-reviewed journals, including BMJ, Neurology, and JAMA Network Open, and has been confirmed by large cohort studies and meta-analyses.

Want to watch the full Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds session with Dr. Lori Bernstein?
�💬Check the comments for the link to access this session and more highlights from the Women's Brain Health Summit.

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30 St. Clair Avenue W, Suite 900
Toronto, ON
M4V3A1

Website

http://wbhi.org/, http://twitter.com/womensbrains

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