Timing of menopausal hormone therapy and brain aging in Alzheimer's risk
Official title: Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy across Perimenopause to Menopause Transition: Neuroimmune System in Brain
Funded at University of Arizona · NIH-11423208 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research program is exploring how menopause-era hormone therapy affects brain aging and biomarkers related to Alzheimer's risk in women.
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, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $622,769 |
| NIH project number | 2P01AG026572-21 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423208 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women in midlife who are considering or using menopausal hormone therapy and who are at risk for Alzheimer's disease.
✕Less likely to help
Results may be less applicable to men or women not using hormone therapy or not at risk for Alzheimer's.
What this research studies
This project examines how starting menopausal hormone therapy at different midlife stages changes immune and inflammatory signals in the body and brain, and how these changes relate to Alzheimer’s risk. It uses a program project structure to integrate biology, aging, and hormone treatment effects to identify when therapy might best reduce inflammation and neurodegeneration. The goal is to understand why timing matters so therapies could be tailored to reduce dementia risk in women.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform personalized hormone therapy timing to lower Alzheimer's risk in women.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests hormones can influence brain aging and inflammation, but optimal timing remains uncertain.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Arizona
Tucson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rodgers, Kathleen E. — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Rodgers, Kathleen E.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy to Protect Brain Health in Perimenopause
A research program uses AI and real-world data to understand how menopausal hormone therapy affects brain health and Alzheimer’s risk in women around menopause.
-
Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Brain Biomarkers in Women at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
This study explores whether starting menopausal hormone therapy during a key window can influence brain markers and risk of Alzheimer's in women who are perimenopausal or postmenopausal.
-
Timing of Hormone Therapy and Brain Health in Perimenopause
A study looking at how the timing and type of menopausal hormone therapy affect brain metabolism related to Alzheimer’s risk in women going through perimenopause.
-
Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Brain Aging in Women at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
This NIH grant explores how the timing of hormone therapy during perimenopause affects brain aging and Alzheimer's risk in women.
-
Understanding how vaginal tissue changes after menopause affect reproductive health
A research team is studying why the vaginal lining changes after menopause and how this affects health, with potential solutions to improve comfort and reduce infection risk for postmenopausal women.
-
Menopause, hormones, and Alzheimer’s disease: an in vivo perspective
This project explores how hormone therapy around menopause might influence the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in postmenopausal women.
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.