How estrogen and heart/metabolic health affect memory in aging women
Official title: Estrogens, Cardiometabolic Health, and Female Cognitive Aging
Funded at Tulane University of Louisiana · NIH-11269206 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is seeing if estrogen treatment protects thinking and memory in older women and whether conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure change that effect.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tulane University of Louisiana NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,799,973 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AG071746-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11269206 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
The findings would be most relevant to postmenopausal women concerned about cognitive aging, including those with or without diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or high blood pressure.
✕Less likely to help
The hypothesis is that women with existing cardiometabolic disease may not receive cognitive benefit from estrogen therapy.
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, scientists are using aging female animal models that mimic menopause to give estrogen treatment with and without cardiometabolic disease and then measure brain and memory outcomes. The program includes four linked projects that look at how heart and metabolic health alter estrogen's actions in the brain and how those changes affect memory systems. Researchers will study molecular and cellular mechanisms in the brain as well as systemic cardiometabolic responses to understand why estrogen helps some subjects but not others. The goal is to translate findings into guidance about when estrogen might support cognitive health in aging women.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could show when menopausal estrogen might help protect memory and who is most likely to benefit or be harmed.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies have shown estrogen can be neuroprotective, but human trials have produced mixed results and the area remains uncertain.
Where this research is happening
-
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Daniel, Jill M — Tulane University of Louisiana
- Study coordinator: Daniel, Jill M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
The effects of estrogens on brain health and aging in women.
This study is looking at how menopause might raise the risk of Alzheimer's and whether estrogen therapy can help protect brain health, especially for women with different heart and metabolic health issues.
-
Phthalate exposure and aging of the female reproductive system
This project looks at how certain plastics chemicals may speed up aging of the female reproductive system and affect fertility and health.
-
Everyday plastic chemicals and women's reproductive aging
This work looks at whether common phthalates found in plastics speed up reproductive aging in adult women.
-
In-home HEPA filtration to slow biological aging and improve heart and lung health in older adults with eosinophilic COPD
A 12-month in-home HEPA filter trial in older adults with eosinophilic COPD examines whether cleaner indoor air can slow aging markers and improve heart and lung health.
-
Aging and neutrophil protection in the female genital tract
This grant looks at how aging changes the immune protection in the female genital tract, focusing on neutrophils and their early responses to infections.
-
Role of retrotransposons in aging ovaries
This NIH grant explores how certain retrotransposons affect aging of female reproductive cells and development, with potential implications for fertility and healthy aging.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.