Menopause, Blood Vessels, and Brain Health in Aging Women
Official title: Menopause and Vascular-Brain Connections in Aging
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11421745 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large study in aging women will follow them over time to see how menopause and blood vessel health relate to brain aging and risk of dementia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $859,300 |
| NIH project number | 2U19AG063720-05A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11421745 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older women who have participated in SWAN and are experiencing or approaching menopause.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not enrolled in SWAN or without menopause transition data may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project uses data from a long-running group of diverse women to see how menopause timing and hormonal changes affect blood vessels and brain health as people age. Researchers will link menopause information with brain imaging and other health data to understand how vascular factors relate to cognitive decline and dementia risk. The study builds on SWAN’s rich resources to track health, function, and brain changes in midlife and beyond. By following participants over time, the team hopes to identify when interventions might protect brain health around the menopause transition.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Insights from this work could inform strategies to protect brain health and reduce dementia risk in aging women.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked menopause-related hormonal changes to cardiovascular and brain health, supporting the potential impact of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thurston, Rebecca C — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Thurston, Rebecca C
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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.