Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Women are at higher risk for both cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease, and the menopausal transition may be an important period for understanding why. In this study, we examined how the age at which women reach menopause interacts with their heart health to influence brain structure later in life. We found that women who experienced menopause at an earlier age and who also had lower cardiac function (measured by left ventricle ejection fraction), showed reduced brain health. These findings suggest that earlier menopause combined with reduced heart function may place women at increased risk for poorer brain outcomes. Understanding how reproductive history and cardiovascular health work together can help identify women at higher risk earlier in life and guide the development of targeted prevention strategies.