Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Brain Aging in Women at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
Official title: Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy across Perimenopause to Menopause Transition: Mitochondrial Function and Signaling
Funded at University of Arizona · NIH-11423206 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant explores how the timing of hormone therapy during perimenopause affects brain aging and 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) | $483,359 |
| NIH project number | 2P01AG026572-21 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423206 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women, particularly those with ApoE4 genotype or a family history of Alzheimer’s disease.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without perimenopause or without potential to participate in hormone-therapy–related analyses may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
If you are a woman going through perimenopause, this program looks at how menopause hormone therapy may change brain aging and Alzheimer’s risk over time. Researchers will study metabolic and inflammatory pathways in the brain and body, and how these differ by ApoE genotype and menopausal stage. The goal is to tailor hormone therapy to the individual to improve brain health and reduce AD risk. The work combines brain-focused analyses with peripheral measurements to understand mechanisms across tissues. The project seeks to build a foundation for precision use of hormone therapy in aging women to help prevent or delay AD-related changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to personalized hormone therapy strategies that protect brain health and lower Alzheimer’s risk in aging women.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests hormone timing and genotype influence brain responses, with this project aiming to translate those findings into personalized approaches.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Arizona
Tucson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yin, Fei — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Yin, Fei
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Timing of Menopausal Hormone Therapy to Protect Brain Health in Perimenopause
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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.
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Timing of menopausal hormone therapy and brain aging in Alzheimer's risk
A research program is exploring how menopause-era hormone therapy affects brain aging and biomarkers related to Alzheimer's risk in women.
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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.
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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.
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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.