Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+ Ep. 540 “Your Brain Needs Estrogen” – The Most Powerful Way to Protect Memory, Cognition & Longevity in Midlife with Dr. Kellyann Niotis | Menopause & Brain Health
Today, I am thrilled to connect with Dr. Kellyann Niotis, a fellowship-trained preventive neurologist specializing in risk reduction strategies for neurodegenerative disorders. Dr. Niotis completed her medical internship and neurology residency at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. She is passionate about preventive neurology, especially as it relates to advocacy, policy changes, and improving access to care and education.
In our discussion, we explore the memory changes and brain fog that occur during perimenopause, and the fear of neurocognitive changes. We look at screening, testing, and labs, examine the effects of alcohol on brain health, and how estrogen is often framed as a reproductive hormone despite its role as a brain fuel regulator. We also clarify why caring for ourselves in midlife is essential for our long-term brain health, outlining the risk factors for neurocognitive changes, the role of neuroplasticity, and how lifestyle factors and loneliness collectively impact brain health and longevity.
This is an exciting and evolving area of neurology, and I am truly grateful to share Dr. Niotis’s expertise and insights with the Everyday Wellness community.
IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:
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How hormone fluctuations in perimenopause impact women’s cognition and brain function
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The early signs that can help us distinguish menopausal cognitive changes from age-related decline or Alzheimer’s
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How sleep quality (not just duration) profoundly affects neurocognitive health
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How vascular health and cholesterol influence long-term risk for cognitive decline and dementia
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How neuroplasticity and lifestyle interventions can support ongoing brain adaptation
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Why hearing loss is a major, under-recognized modifiable risk factor for dementia
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The value of exercise, especially high-intensity interval training, for growing new brain cells
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How estrogen and progesterone affect women’s brain health
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Why too much data tracking can harm your brain health
Connect with Cynthia Thurlow
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Check out Cynthia’s website
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Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com
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Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow
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Cynthia’s Menopause Gut Book is on presale now!
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Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book
Connect with Kellyann Niotis