Exercise in Perimenopause to Improve Cognitive Health

Summary

Perimenopause is now considered a possible risk factor for dementia and may contribute to the fact that 2/3 of those living with Alzheimer's disease are females. Indeed, research studies show that middle-aged females demonstrate significant declines in their thinking abilities and detrimental changes in their brains as they go through perimenopause. Thus, perimenopausal females need strategies to bolster their brain health.

The World Health Organization strongly recommends physical activity interventions to reduce the risk of decline in thinking abilities. However, whether exercise can improve thinking abilities and brain health in perimenopausal females has not been examined. Our research aims to address this important knowledge gap in female brain health.

We will study the effects of a 6-month resistance exercise training (e.g., lifting free weights, exercise with weight machine) program on thinking abilities in 50 physically inactive perimenopausal females, aged 40 to 55 years, who are experiencing difficulties with their thinking abilities. In addition to measuring thinking abilities, we will determine if exercise benefits muscle health, heart health, sleep quality, psychological well-being, menopausal symptoms, and quality of life. We will also explore how resistance exercise training improves thinking abilities as such information can lead to new discoveries and therapies for brain health in females.

Conditions

• Perimenopause
• Subjective Cognitive Complaints

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Progressive Resistance Training

The sessions will occur in the Exercise Prescription Suite of the Centre for Aging SMART at VCH; this suite is a fully-equipped gym that includes treadmills, bikes, pneumatic resistance training equipment, and free weights. The training stimulus will initially be at 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions with proper form. At week 4, training intensity will progress from 60-82% of predicted 1 repetition maximum (RM) using the 8RM method. Every 4 weeks the 8RM test will be repeated.

BEHAVIORAL

Balance, Flexibility, and Tone Exercises

Each BAT session will be 1-hr in duration and consist of Pilates mat exercises, Yoga-based poses and breathing, Kegel exercises, stretches, and relaxation techniques (e.g., visualization).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute

  collaborator OTHER

• University of British Columbia

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Teresa Liu-Ambrose, PhD · University of British Columbia

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

40 Years

Max Age

55 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-03-30

Primary Completion

2026-12-15

Completion

2027-01-30

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations