The Effects of Menopause and Chronic Hypertension on Cognition

Authors: Risa Kalish, Brian Deng, Emily J. Baumel, Gianna M. Demarco, Aleena Shehryar, Abbie C. Chapman

Field of Study: Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Math

Faculty Mentors: Abbie Chapman

Easel: 54

Timeslot: Midday

Abstract: Dementia affects 50 million people worldwide and is expected to triple by 2050. Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. Chronically elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is the primary modifiable risk factor for vascular dementia. After menopause, women are disproportionally affected by cerebrovascular disease and vascular dementia. Little is known of the combined cognitive impacts of preexisting chronic hypertension and menopause. It was hypothesized that learning and memory were impaired after menopause and worsened during chronic hypertension. To test this, learning and memory function in normotensive and hypertensive rats with and without transitional menopause were assessed. Menopause impaired spatial memory in both normotensive and hypertensive females. However, spatial learning was similar between groups. Interestingly, cognitive flexibility was only disrupted in the combined menopausal and hypertensive group. These findings advance the understanding of how menopause-related cognitive changes interact with common comorbidities of vascular dementia.