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Sign up for weekly email micro-briefings in women\u2019s brain health and neuroscience: Get Briefings<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83c\udf0f Yes. Women\u2019s health has been ignored for too long, but I\u2019m an optimist and I see that tide is finally turning, with serious funding flowing in. One example is the Wellcome Leap Foundation\u2019s CARE<\/strong> (Cutting Alzheimer\u2019s Risk through Endocrinology) initiative, led by neuroscientist Lisa Mosconi. CARE is a global cooperative<\/strong> aiming to cut women\u2019s lifetime risk of Alzheimer\u2019s disease in half by 2050. Rather than chasing a single \u201chormone fix,\u201d it\u2019s focused on developing advanced brain imaging, blood biomarkers, and predictive models to detect risk early and guide personalised prevention. Melinda Gates<\/strong> is also championing large-scale, sex-specific health research and helping to build the scientific foundation women\u2019s brain health deserves. Read more about \u200bCARE\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83e\udde0 Do women\u2019s brains age faster than men\u2019s? <\/strong>And does this explain why more women than men develop AD? A new mega-study suggests not \u2026 or at least, not in any simple way. Researchers analysed over 12,000 brain scans from people aged 17 to 95 and found only small, region-specific differences. The team found that men showed steeper declines in some brain regions, including parts of the cortex involved in memory, perception, and decision-making. Women, by contrast, lost volume more slowly and showed less cortical thinning as they aged. Overall, the men\u2019s and women\u2019s brain ageing trajectory looked remarkably similar<\/strong>. The takeaway? Women\u2019s higher AD rates can\u2019t be explained by faster brain ageing alone it\u2019s a far more complex story of biology, biography and lifespan. Article published in \u200bPNAS\u200b<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83c\udf99\ufe0f <\/em>XXplored Women\u2019s Brain Health<\/strong><\/em> <\/strong>is a new podcast<\/strong> with the first episode Why Sex Matters & What We\u2019ve Ignored in Brain Ageing looking at this blind spots in neuroscience and how we got here. Host Dr Laura Stankeviciute (University of Gothenburg) is joined by Professor Liisa Galea (University of Toronto) and Dr Maria Teresa Ferretti (Karolinska Institutet) for a lively conversation about the science (and politics)<\/strong> of women\u2019s brains and neuroscience research. The trio also discuss neurosexism, precision medicine, and what\u2019s needed to close the gender data gap. \u200bListen\u200b<\/a> or watch on YouTube: \u200bXXplored: Why Sex Matters & What We\u2019ve Ignored in Brain Ageing\u200b<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83e\udd1d I started my neuroscience career studying how synapses<\/strong> form and change at the nerve-muscle junction in response to neural activity. A new study revisits that magic moment when neurons in the brain first connect and learn to talk to each other. Using fluorescent tags in fruit flies, researchers watched new synapses mature<\/strong> step by step. When they blocked neural activity, the synapses stopped forming precise connections. It\u2019s a reminder that brain wiring depends on active communication and disruptions in this process may contribute to conditions like autism, epilepsy, and intellectual disability. This study was published in \u200bThe Journal of Neuroscience\u200b<\/a> with a non academic summary \u200bhere\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcda Understanding the unique interplay between female sex hormones<\/strong> and women\u2019s brain health is a critical step in closing this research gap. In this new article, two neuroscientists in the space call for more studies that combine high-resolution brain imaging<\/strong> with hormone and molecular testing to improve women\u2019s brain health outcomes. The piece was published in \u200bNeuropsychopharmacology\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83e\uddd0 Are you curious about the neuroscience of curiosity<\/strong>? I consider myself a naturally curious person, and as a receiver of my emails, you\u2019re likely a curious person too. Lucky for us, people who get excited about discovery for discovery\u2019s sake have better cognition in later life than those who are comparatively less curious. In this episode of The Guardian\u2019s Science Weekly podcast discover how our innate sense of curiosity changes as we age, and the brain benefits of being a curious person. Listen here: \u200bIs curiosity the key to ageing well?\u200b<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83e\uddd0 Conversations about menopause often focus on menopause hormone therapy (MHT\/HRT). But one size never fits all, and for some women, the risks of MHT outweigh the benefits, or they simply want to consider other tools. That\u2019s where psychology is useful. In the UK\u2019s NICE menopause guidelines, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)<\/strong> is also<\/em> recommended as an option for hot flushes, night sweats, mood and sleep (that\u2019s in addition to, not instead of<\/em>, MHT.) Adding CBT to the menopause toolkit<\/strong> aligns with a biopsychosocial approach to women\u2019s health, acknowledging that symptoms, stress, beliefs, work and social support contribute. A new article from the British Psychological Society includes an interview with Prof Aimee Spector from UCL\u2019s Menopause Mind Lab, who points out that \u201c\u2026saying that CBT might help doesn\u2019t mean that HRT won\u2019t.\u201d Read the \u200bBPS article here\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83e\ude78 <\/strong>A UCL study exploring the idea of cycle syncing<\/strong> for performance tracked cognition across the menstrual cycle<\/strong> in four groups of women (elite athletes, club-level, recreationally active, and inactive). Tiny improvements in reaction time (~30 ms) and fewer mistakes were seen around ovulation, mostly in the elite athletes. But overall fitness had a much larger effect on cognition than any cycle phase: inactive women reacted more slowly and less accurately across all phases compared to all other active groups. Also, 55% of all women believed their period impaired their cognitive performance but the testing didn\u2019t support this subjective perception. Translation: for most of us, being fit and active shapes cognition more than cycle day. Read the original \u200bSports Medicine article\u200b<\/a> and a non-academic summary \u200bhere\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udf99\ufe0f Curious why everyone is talking about ADHD and menopause<\/strong> in the same breath? A team of five coaches from my Neuroscience Coaching Network have developed a 6-part podcast, called The Fog and The Fury<\/strong>. Their series explores the intersection of neurodiversity and female hormone fluctuations through expert interviews with neuroscientists and ADHD researchers. #proudteacher. New episodes will be released throughout October, and you can listen in via \u200bSpotify.\u200b<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83c\udf0f A few weeks ago, I shared a micro-briefing about the role of the exposome<\/strong> on ageing. The exposome refers to the physical, environmental, and social factors that influence a person\u2019s health throughout their lifetime<\/strong>. Another new study has now examined how the exposome impacts ageing, this time across 40 countries around the world. It found that poor air quality, lower income levels, social and gender inequality, and weak democracies were linked to accelerated ageing. Meanwhile, education levels protected against ageing, especially for women<\/strong>. This research was published in \u200bNature Medicine\u200b<\/a>, with a non-academic summary by \u200bScientific American\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc95 Oxytocin is the hormone of love<\/strong>, right? Well as per usual in the world of neuroscience, it turns out it may not be quite that straightforward! Amongst its many other biological functions, oxytocin also plays a key role in helping our bodies and brains remain balanced, or in a state of homeostasis. In this article from The Scientist, learn how oxytocin builds our tolerance to stress. Read it here: \u200bThe Goldilocks Hormone: Oxytocin Keeps the Body Resilient.\u200b<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc3e As any fellow dog lover<\/strong> will attest, there\u2019s something particularly special about having a canine companion. But do our pets help or harm our health? This is the question tackled recently by Tegan Taylor and Norman Swan on ABC\u2019s What\u2019s That Rash podcast. They cover pet-to-human disease transmission, allergies, cognition, mental health, physical activity, and more. Honestly, some of the answers (and the research) they share may surprise you! Listen to the episode: \u200bIs loving your pets bad for you?\u200b<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83e\uddec Huntington\u2019s disease<\/strong> is a debilitating and progressive neurodegenerative disorder, with a life expectancy of just 10-15 years after symptoms start. There is currently no cure for Huntington\u2019s disease. However, an exciting new gene therapy<\/strong>, delivered during a 12-to-18-hour brain surgery, has just been trialled. The treatment resulted in a massive 75% slowing of the disease, potentially giving people back decades of life. Though the findings are yet to undergo peer review, this landmark study gives tangible hope for those living with Huntington\u2019s disease. \u200bLearn more in this Conversation article\u200b<\/a> and also this \u200bBBC article\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\ude4b\u200d\u2640\ufe0f In 2024, the Lancet Report on dementia prevention<\/strong> identified 14 modifiable risk factors that account for around 45% of the world\u2019s dementia cases. A new paper has now identified four additional risk factors (poverty, sudden financial changes, income inequality, and HIV status)<\/strong> and accounted for the influence of sex on dementia risk. This updated model increased the proportion of preventable dementia cases to nearly 65%, with the additional risk factors playing a larger role for women and those in low- to middle-income countries. \u200bRead the corresponding paper in eBioMedicine\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83e\udde0 Multiple sclerosis<\/strong> or MS is another neurodegenerative disease, where the fatty insulation that covers neurons to allow them to signal correctly is damaged. Despite particularly affecting women, how the menopausal transition<\/strong> impacts MS has been poorly understood. But a new longitudinal study following midlife women with MS has found no associated disease progression or increased symptoms with menopause. This study was published in \u200bJAMA Neurology\u200b<\/a>, with a \u200bnon-academic summary from Monash University here\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc83 For decades, medical research underrepresented and excluded biological females. This sex bias was in part due to reduced funding for research into diseases that predominantly affect women. But finally, we\u2019re starting to see brilliant research into women\u2019s brain health, which I talk all about in both Baby Brain and the Women\u2019s Brain Book. If you\u2019re looking for a quick summary though, check out this article in Technology Networks that explores how menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, and polycystic ovary syndrome influence women\u2019s brains<\/strong>. \u200bRead here\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcac \u201cWomen experience unique physiological events throughout their lives \u2013 from puberty and menstruation to pregnancy, menopause and more \u2013 that significantly affect their brains. Each of these stages presents unique challenges, influencing mental health, cognition and neurological function in ways that are only now being uncovered.\u201d Rhianna-Lily Smith<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc27 Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to go to Antarctica<\/strong> on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, alongside a group of other incredible women in STEM. But even though I had an extraordinary time, the sensory deprivation and social isolation <\/strong>can be extreme enough to cause temporary changes to the brains of people who live more permanently in Antarctica. So, a new study is exploring how living in Antarctica can influence cognition and biology, with the results also planning to be used to help support astronauts on space missions. Learn more in \u200bthis article from ABC News\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd1a Decisions are a whole-brain endeavour. New research in mice is showing that rather than being a straightforward pathway, decision-making happens simultaneously across both cortical and subcortical areas, including in regions never previously associated with decision-making<\/strong>. To learn more and watch the mouse brain light up with activity during a decision task, head to this article from The Transmitter: \u200bEverything everywhere all at once: Decision-making signals engage entire brain.\u200b<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\ude21 What is an emotion?<\/strong> It turns out that this is a particularly hard question for emotion researchers to answer. This confusion makes it all the more difficult to communicate emotion research with non-experts. In this article for The Transmitter, Prof Nicole Rust speaks to thirteen emotion experts, including the marvellous Prof Lisa Feldman Barrett, to get their takes on how to share the science of emotion with the world. Read it: \u200bEmotion research has a communication conundrum.\u200b<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83e\udd16 The brain is a prediction machine.<\/strong> So, it makes sense that we\u2019d see visual illusions, completing patterns based on our previous experiences. But how does the brain process visual information to form optical illusions on a cellular level? A new study identified the neurons responsible for recognising illusory shapes in mice to explore how the visual system completes incomplete information to create optical illusions. This research was published in \u200bNature Neuroscience\u200b<\/a>, with a non-academic summary in \u200bThe Scientist\u200b<\/a>.<\/p>\n