The Hidden Injury: Brain Trauma, Menopause, and the Fight to Protect Women's Minds

In this episode of The Fifth Wave, Avis Favaro explores why women's brains are different, and looks for answers to why nearly two-thirds of people living with Alzheimer's are women.

Dr. Jenny Rabin of Sunnybrook Research Institute explains how menopause and declining estradiol may be a critical turning point for brain aging. The episode then turns to a connection few people talk about: the link between intimate partner violence and brain injury. Karen Mason and Dr. Paul van Donkelaar of SOAR, an organization dedicated to researching and raising awareness of this issue, explain why up to 80% of women who experience intimate partner violence may also be living with an undiagnosed brain injury.

Key Takeaways:

Nearly two-thirds of people living with Alzheimer's are women, and new research shows menopause, not just longer lifespan, may be a critical turning point for brain aging.Between 35% and 80% of women who experience intimate partner violence also experience symptoms of a brain injury, yet up to 75% never seek medical attention for it.Strangulation is one of the most under-recognized dangers in intimate partner violence. A woman who has been strangled is 7.5 times more likely to be murdered in a future incident.New Alzheimer's treatments targeting amyloid pathology are now approved in Canada, slowing decline by about 30% on average, though they are not a cure and carry some side effects.The thing you really NEED to know:

Brain injury from intimate partner violence is a modifiable risk factor, unlike age or genetics, which means early recognition and the right support can change a survivor's long-term health trajectory. That only works if the healthcare and shelter systems are actually looking for it.

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Resources & Guest Information:

SOAR Project  https://soarproject.ca/Dr. Jennifer (Jenny) Rabin, Scientist, Sunnybrook Research Institute Sunnybrook ProfileKaren Mason, co-founder and Executive Director, soarproject.ca LinkedIn ProfileDr. Paul van Donkelaar, co-founder and Scientific Director, SOAR; Professor, School of Health and Exercise Sciences, UBC Okanagan: soarproject.caJennifer Gillivan, President and CEO of the IWK Foundation: LinkedIn Profile

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by the hosts, guests, and participants of the Fifth Wave belong solely to the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the IWK Foundation. The information discussed in this podcast is for informational purposes only