Perimenopause, brain aging, and Alzheimer's risk
Official title: Perimenopause in Brain Aging and Alzheimer's Disease
Funded at University of Arizona · NIH-11129666 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program explores how hormonal and metabolic changes during perimenopause affect brain aging and Alzheimer's risk for middle-aged women, with special attention to APOE-e4.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2006 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,919,843 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AG026572-20 |
| Project ID | NIH-11129666 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are women in midlife who are in perimenopause or roughly ages 40–60, especially those with a family history of Alzheimer's or who carry the APOE-e4 gene.
✕Less likely to help
Men, people already living with advanced Alzheimer's dementia, or women well outside the perimenopausal age range are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
You would be followed through the perimenopausal transition with brain scans, blood tests, cognitive testing, and other health measures to spot early changes linked to Alzheimer’s. The team combines imaging, metabolic and immune markers, genetic information (including APOE status), and population data to find patterns that predict higher risk. Their goal is to turn those patterns into personalized prevention or delay strategies for women at midlife. The research is led by investigators at the University of Arizona focusing on mechanisms that start during perimenopause.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to personalized prevention approaches that delay or prevent Alzheimer's in women by targeting midlife biological changes.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier imaging and biomarker studies have linked perimenopause to brain changes and shown APOE modifies Alzheimer's risk, but turning those findings into proven prevention strategies is still an emerging area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Arizona
Tucson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brinton, Roberta Eileen — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Brinton, Roberta Eileen
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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.