I remember, almost in slow motion, the first time my mother completely lost her memory and sense of orientation. It was ten years ago, almost to the month. A sunny afternoon on the summerhouse veranda, I sat with my baby and toddler, slowly realizing that life would never be the same again. And also realizing that this wasn’t how aging was supposed to be.
The official diagnosis came only a few years later, yet in hindsight, the symptoms had begun long before. The seeds were likely sown in midlife.
I am not a medical expert. I write from the perspectives that shape my life: daughter to a mother with Alzheimer’s, coach to midlife professionals (many of them women), and master’s student of neuroscience. From here, I see the need to use my voice to highlight emerging research, because what is being learned has the power to change not just individual lives, but also the way organizations and societies prepare for the future.
Why Women Are More Affected
Alzheimer’s does not affect all people equally. Two-thirds of those diagnosed are women. For too long, this difference has been underexplored.
Research by neuroscientist Lisa Mosconi and others shows that during midlife, particularly around the menopausal transition, women experience changes in the brain that go beyond hot flashes or irregular cycles. Estrogen, a hormone with protective effects on the brain, declines sharply. Imaging studies -that only started to be made on this matter around 2020- show shifts in brain networks that correlate with memory changes, such as that much dreaded brain fog, mood swings, and anxiety -symptoms many women know all too well (NeurologyLive). These changes may also set the stage for later risk of Alzheimer’s.
Midlife as a Window of Change
But it isn’t all doom and gloom. Research also underscores that midlife is a period of opportunity.
A large UK study followed thousands of women for two decades. Those who maintained healthier lifestyles in midlife; staying physically active, managing weight, avoiding smoking, and keeping blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar in check, had a significantly lower risk of dementia later in life (Alzheimer’s Research UK).
These findings are hopeful. They remind us that prevention is about simple everyday choices that strengthen both heart and brain. But motivation can only come from awareness.
Stress, Cortisol, and the Female Brain
But lifestyle is only part of the picture. Midlife for many women, especially in the sandwich generation, is also a period of immense stress. careers, caregiving, and transitions all collide. The current uncertainty and change create further pressure that doesn’t exactly help.
A recent study from the Framingham Heart Study revealed that women with higher cortisol levels in midlife showed more Alzheimer’s-related brain changes years later. Notably, this association was found in postmenopausal women but not in men (Neurology Advisor).
This suggests that the combination of hormonal shifts and stress biology may place women at heightened risk. It also points to the importance of stress management as a brain-health strategy more than a “nice to have” luxury.
Why I Am Speaking Up
I share this not as an expert with all the answers, but as someone living at the intersection of these realities:
- As a daughter, I have seen what happens when Alzheimer’s takes hold. As a mother to daughters, I feel a desperate need for things to improve.
- As a coach, I witness how often midlife women dismiss their own needs in the service of others.
- As a student of neuroscience and mental health, I see the research evolving and the gaps in awareness that keep women unprepared.
That is why I want to use my voice: to draw attention to research that can benefit not only individuals, but also workplaces, healthcare systems, and future generations.
A Call for Awareness and Action
We need more research that centers women, more conversations that validate midlife as a critical phase for brain health, and more practical supports for lifestyle and stress management.
For each of us, the steps can be simple but powerful: notice symptoms, advocate for care, prioritize sleep and movement, manage stress, and connect with others. For organizations and societies, the responsibility is larger designing environments, policies, and supports that make these choices possible.
