12/12/2024
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This woman is just Amazingā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø Her research is pioneering and will help us and the generations of sisters, daughters that will too benefit from the discoveries made by this incredible woman!
Yesterday, I had the honor of participating in the first-ever presidential conference on Womenās Health Research (WHR), hosted by
This event marked the one-year anniversary of the WHR initiative, which aims to close the decades-long gap in womenās health research. The initiative was prompted and inspired by the tireless advocacy and dedication to womenās health by š¤
I delivered a speech centered on womenās brain health, the impact of Alzheimerās disease, and the role of menopause.
Weāve known since the 1990s that being a woman is the second strongest risk factor for Alzheimerās, after age. Today, nearly two-thirds of all Alzheimerās patients are postmenopausal women. Despite some progress, vast unknowns remain. Hereās what weāve learned:
šš»Womenās brains age differently than menās, and menopause plays a role.
šš»āSex hormonesā like estrogen are brain hormones, too, providing neuroprotection against aging and disease.
šš»Menopause doesnāt cause Alzheimerās-itās a risk factor. While all women experience menopause, not all develop Alzheimerās. Itās crucial to understand what factors keep some healthy while making others vulnerable.
šš»A longer reproductive lifespan, with extended estrogen exposure, may protect against dementiaā while estrogen deprivation, especially after early or induced menopause, is linked with an increased risk.
šš»The connection with menopause hormone therapy needs more research for clearer insights.
Menopause remains one of the most under-diagnosed, under-researched, under-treated, and under-funded fields in medicineājust like womenās brain health overall.
I concluded my talk by affirming: We owe women centuries of research.
It felt significant to voice this in a room that has the power to effect real change.
SHARE this with anyone who needs to hear it! š