# Protective and Risk Factors for Cognitive Function in the Menopause Transition

> **NIH NIH P20** · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE · 2024 · $245,986

## Abstract

Over 60% of women report cognitive symptoms during the menopause transition, but few effective 
treatments are available. These symptoms are bothersome and impair work performance. In the long 
term, they may indicate underlying risk for chronic health conditions. We propose to study the 
interrelationships between protective and risk factors for cognitive symptoms during the menopause 
transition. In Aim 1 we will quantify the relative contributions of risk factors associated with 
cognitive symptoms in peri- and recently post-menopausal women with at least one cardiometabolic 
risk factor. We will investigate the proportion of variance in cognitive performance accounted for 
by cardiometabolic risk factors, vasomotor symptoms, sleep disruptions, and psychological factors. 
We will use electronic health records to identify and recruit a diverse sample of women. 
We will obtain high quality measures of cardiometabolic risk, vasomotor symptoms, sleep, physical 
activity, and psychological symptoms along with a battery of cognitive assessments in multiple 
domains. Establishing the relative strength of these contributing factors will lead to more 
targeted mechanistic hypotheses and inform intervention strategies benefiting cognitive function. 
Aim 2: Investigate habitual physical activity as a potential protective factor for cognitive 
performance via its effects on sleep and vasomotor symptoms in peri- and recently post-menopausal 
women. Exercise interventions improve vasomotor symptoms, sleep, and cognition. Less well 
established is whether habitual physical activity is a protective factor for cognition in 
perimenopause. Objective measurement of vasomotor symptoms, physical activity, and sleep are needed 
because self-report is less strongly associated with cognition than self-report. We hypothesize 
that higher levels of habitual moderate to vigorous physical activity will be associated with less 
severe vasomotor symptoms, fewer nighttime awakenings, and better cognitive performance. Further, 
we hypothesize that fewer awakenings will mediate the relationship between nighttime vasomotor 
symptoms and cognitive performance. Findings will inform future 
non-pharmacological strategies for maintaining cognition in the menopause transition. Our proposal 
is innovative in its simultaneous use of objective, physiological measures of physical activity, 
sleep, and vasomotor symptoms and quantification of potential risk and protective factors for 
cognition during the menopause transition. It will use bioinformatic tools to identify and recruit 
a diverse set of participants. These aims align with calls from organizations like The Menopause 
Society and the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health and support the goals of the CoBRE: 
Leveraging Big Data to Improve Women's Health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11195859
- **Project number:** 1P20GM152280-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE
- **Principal Investigator:** Amber Watts
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $245,986
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-10 → 2029-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11195859

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11195859, Protective and Risk Factors for Cognitive Function in the Menopause Transition (1P20GM152280-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11195859. Licensed CC0.

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