Earlier menopause and brain health: What's the link?

Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Rabin, PhD, Sunnybrook Hospital

Dr. Jenny Rabin is a registered neuropsychologist, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine (Neurology) at the University of Toronto, and a Scientist at Sunnybrook Research Institute. A major focus of Dr. Rabin's work is on women's health and sex differences in two primary areas:

1. Neuromodulation and Depression: As the Neuropsychology Lead at the Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Dr. Rabin investigates the influence of sex on the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treating depression.
2. Alzheimer’s Disease Risk Factors: Dr. Rabin's research also explores hormonal, genetic, and lifestyle factors that increase women’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease, leveraging multimodal neuroimaging (e.g., MRI, PET), neuropathological measures, and sensitive cognitive assessments.

Dr. Rabin holds multiple external grants from CIHR, NSERC, the Alzheimer’s Society, and the Alzheimer’s Association. Her contributions to the field have been recognized with several awards, including the Human Amyloid Imaging Young Investigator Award, the Department of Medicine Junior Investigator Award, and the "Rising Star" designation by the Association for Psychological Science.

Talk summary:

Dr. Rabin will present data from a series of studies that use advanced imaging techniques, neuropathological examinations, and cognitive assessments to investigate the set of factors contributing to the elevated risk of Alzheimer's disease in women. She will show findings that suggest earlier menopause, combined with specific genetic predispositions, vascular conditions, and lifestyle factors, creates a "perfect storm" that accelerates cognitive decline and Alzheimer's pathology in women. She will end by discussing how this research informs tailored prevention and treatment strategies to combat the disproportionate impact of Alzheimer's disease on women.

Event Venue

Online