Women’s Health Pt. III: Menopause & the Brain

The Brain on Menopause (start time: 01:24) In this week’s show, we offer the finale of our three-part series on menopause and women’s health. We focus on a most precious organ: the brain. And we discuss how  hormones such as estrogen and cortisol affect brain health; on how experiencing stress during childhood can intensify perimenopause symptoms; and on what women can do to reduce risks as well as to take part in research. How On Earth’s Susan Moran and contributing host Meghan Rabbitt interview Dr. Christina Metcalf, a clinical psychologist and researcher at the CU Anschutz Department of Psychiatry Colorado Center for Women’s Behavioral Health and Wellness.  Journalist Meghan Rabbitt wrote the recently published book The New Rules of Women’s Health: A Guide to Thriving at Every Age.
Information on how you can participate in CU Anschutz research studies:
* “Find a Research Study” tool lets people filter by category, 3 menopause-related studies currently recruiting.
*RAHH Lab (Resilience and Adaptation in Hormones and Health Lab)
-New menopause research study focusing on estradiol and the brain, called CEREBRA, starting in April 2026. Email cerebra-study@cuanschutz.edu.
    – Menopause stress reduction study (MENORISE, starting in September 2026. Email christina.metcalf@cuanschutz.edu.

Hosts:  Susan Moran, Meghan Rabbitt
Show Producer: Susan Moran
Engineer: Joel Parker
Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Listen to the show here: