The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

Women, Menopause and Alzheimer’s: XX Brain Connections with Lisa Mosconi, Ph.D. : 675

Mar 10, 2020

Lisa Mosconi, a renowned neuroscientist and founder of the Women's Brain Initiative, explores how menopause significantly impacts women's brain health and increases Alzheimer's risk. She highlights groundbreaking research on early detection and the gender differences in Alzheimer's development. The conversation dives into the importance of lifestyle choices, nutrition, and hormone therapy in mitigating cognitive decline. Practical strategies for women in perimenopause, such as mental stimulation and exercise, are also discussed to promote better brain health.

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INSIGHT

Early Alzheimer's Changes

Alzheimer's disease starts with negative brain changes years before symptoms appear, impacting midlife more than old age.
Women experience these changes earlier, often during menopause, connecting menopause and Alzheimer's.

INSIGHT

Neurological Menopause

Menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia, and mood changes originate in the brain, not the ovaries.
This highlights the neurological aspect of menopause, often overlooked due to its association with hormonal shifts.

ADVICE

Women's Brain Health Tips

Focus on scientifically proven lifestyle changes for brain health as a woman.
Prioritize consistency over short-term fixes and personalize your approach based on individual needs and responses.

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My guest today is a neuroscientist and neuro-nutritionist recognized and respected for her contributions to the fields of brain science, the microbiome, and nutritional genomics.

Dr. Lisa Mosconi is the founder and director of the Women's Brain Initiative and associate director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York. She’s also an associate professor of neuroscience in neurology and radiology at Weill Cornell and an adjunct faculty member at New York University’s Department of Psychiatry.

Her current scientific work focuses on the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease in at-risk people, particularly women. More than a decade of research has shown two things, Dr. Mosconi says: “No. 1, Alzheimer's Disease is not a disease of old age, but rather the disease starts with negative changes in the brain years—if not decades—before any clinical symptoms emerge. So, we're looking at midlife, rather than when you're 70 or 80. No. 2, women tend to develop these negative changes in their brains before men do, and specifically as women go through menopause. That was a big finding.”

“Menopause symptoms don't start in the ovaries,” she says, “they start in the brain.” That’s why Dr. Mosconi uses brain imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

She is passionately interested in how risk of memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease can be mitigated, if not prevented, through the combination of appropriate medical care and lifestyle modifications involving diet, nutrition, physical and intellectual fitness. She details this in her new book, “The XX Brain: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women to Maximize Cognitive Health and Prevent Alzheimer's Disease.”

Dr. Mosconi’s research into women’s neurological health is changing the way science approaches the female brain.

Enjoy the show! … And get more resources at Dave.Asprey/podcasts.

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