Let's Talk About the Female Brain in Midlife

What happens to the female brain during midlife? In this episode, we welcome Associate Professor Genevieve Steiner-Lim, a cognitive neuroscientist and researcher in translational neuroscience, to talk about brain aging, the menopausal transition, and females long-term brain health. We explore whether male and female brains age differently, what females experience during the menopausal transition, and what qualitative research from Australia can teach us about the lived experience of menopause. We also compare perspectives on menopause research and healthcare in Australia and Germany, and discuss why females are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Finally, Genevieve takes us into her latest research, including the MenoStim Trial investigating non-invasive brain stimulation and the MenoCog Trial exploring whether creatine could support cognition, mood, and brain health during and after the menopausal transition. From understanding the female brain in midlife and aging to developing new preventive approaches — join us for this engaging discussion on the future direction of research!

If you would like to get in touch with Genevieve, you can find her & her group here: https://gensteiner.com/

... or reach her at: G.Steiner@westernsydney.edu.au

Timestamps:

00:27: Introduction to our guest Assoc. Prof. Genevieve Steiner-Lim and her field of research

01:40: Brain aging

03:01: Do male and female brains age differently?

05:13: The menopausal transition: beyond reproductive health

10:22: Qualitative study on the lived experience of the menopausal transition in Australia

18:13: Australia vs. Germany: differences in menopausal healthcare and research

23:22: Current state of Alzheimer's disease research in females

30:12: MenoStim Trial: can non-invasive brain stimulation improve thinking, memory and mood during menopause?