Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

In Canada, the number of people living with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is projected to rise exponentially by 2050, with females being predominantly affected. Episodic memory decline is often seen as the earliest symptom of AD. This symptom is most evident during mid-life, a time where females undergo the transitional phase of menopause due to changes in estrogen levels. This suggests that menopausal experiences, which vary across ethnicities, can affect the risk of developing AD. Understanding and identifying protective factors is crucial for comprehending female brain aging through examining cognitive and brain function. Crucially, these factors need to be viewed from a multi-ethnic lens such that tailored interventions for cognitive health can be developed. This research aims to investigate the impact of lifestyle factors, which have previously been shown to protect against cognitive decline, such as sleep quality, physical activity, and diet on episodic memory during menopause. This study will employ a five-year longitudinal research design specifically focusing on middle-aged females aged 40 to 65, categorizing them as premenopausal or postmenopausal. By utilizing online questionnaires and cognitive assessments, researchers will gather data every six months on participants' sleep patterns, physical activity levels, nutrition, and episodic memory performance over a five-year period. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding and implementing protective factors, thereby promoting cognitive health and improving healthcare outcomes for diverse populations.