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New study aims to map how menopause shapes the aging brain

05/13/2026

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State researchers, led by Wesley Lefferts, the BRAVA study’s principal investigator and an assistant professor of kinesiology and health at Iowa State, are studying whether menopause sets off small but important changes in the brain and blood vessels that could help explain why women face higher risks of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease as they age. Their goal is to identify these shifts early enough to intervene.

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