Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Research Scholarships - Master's program

Menopause is characterized by a steep decline in ovarian hormones, particularly estrogens, which play protective roles in the brain and will affect over 1.2 billion women by 2030. The loss of estrogens during menopause coincides with symptoms of “brain fog”, forgetfulness and memory issues and is associated with vulnerability to age-related cognitive decline. A parallel and often intersecting risk factor is concussions. Adults with a history of concussion have nearly twice the risk of developing dementia, with women being particularly vulnerable. Older women tend to sustain concussions at higher rates than men and report more severe and prolonged symptoms likely attributed to the loss of protective hormones during menopause. Both concussion and loss of estrogens impair brain pathways critical for memory and thinking, suggesting that postmenopausal women with concussion history may face a compounded risk of developing age-related cognitive declines. Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) may mitigate this risk; however, no studies have examined its potential protective role in the context of women with concussion history. This study addresses this gap by investigating how menopause-related hormone decline intersects with concussion history to influence white matter integrity (an early biomarker of dementia) and cognitive performance in postmenopausal women. We will also evaluate whether MHT use, quantified by estrogen levels, provides a protective effect on these structural and cognitive measures. Findings from this study will clarify whether MHT plays a protective role for women with a history of concussion, guiding strategies that promote healthier brain aging and counteract dementia trajectories in this vulnerable population.