Grant: Team Grant: CCNA Phase III: Sex/Gender/Dementia in Black/Racialized commu

Each year, millions of females around the world experience the menopause transition (i.e., perimenopause), when hormones levels change rapidly and cause many symptoms including hot flashes, weight gain, sleep problems, depression, anxiety, and brain fog. Importantly, perimenopause may increase the risk of dementia for females and contribute to the fact that 2/3 of those living with Alzheimer's disease are females. Many perimenopausal females experience challenges with their thinking abilities that impact their capacity to work and function. Research also shows detrimental changes occur in the brains of perimenopausal females. Thus, perimenopausal females need strategies to bolster their brain health. What modifiable factors (e.g., sleep) are associated with poor thinking abilities in perimenopausal females is not well understood. The World Health Organization strongly recommends physical activity interventions to reduce the risk of decline in thinking abilities. However, whether exercise can specifically improve thinking abilities and brain health in perimenopausal females has not been examined. We also don't know how exercise improves thinking abilities or if it could make the female brain more resilient in the longer term. Our research team aims to address these important knowledge gaps in female brain health. Our team will first identify modifiable factors that are related to thinking abilities among perimenopausal females. We will then study the effects of a 6-month exercise program on thinking abilities and brain health in 150 physically inactive perimenopausal females, aged 40 to 55 years, who are experiencing difficulties with their thinking abilities. We will also explore how exercise improves thinking abilities. Given the number of perimenopausal females globally, our proposed study could have major impact. Our research will also reduce the stigma that prevents perimenopausal females from seeking care and support for their brain health.