Midlife and Menopause Research
Menopause, and the Brain Research
The overarching goal of this program is to conduct clinical research studies that seek to understand the mechanisms behind changes in cognition and behavior that occur in women after menopause. Menopause produces significant and sustained changes in the levels of sex hormones (e.g. estrogen) that have profound effects on brain functioning and may produce changes in mood, memory, and learning. These changes may account for sex-related differences between older women and men, especially regarding rates of neurodegenerative disorders, some of which tend to be higher in women (e.g. Alzheimer's disease).
The studies utilized intensive, repeated-measures designs focusing on the effects of neuropharmacologic probes combined with sophisticated cognitive testing, functional brain imaging, and behavioral paradigms in older women. Most of the studies take place at the University of Vermont Clinical Research Center (CRC). Please see this article for a description of our newest funded grant from the National Institutes on Aging.
Contact Julie Dumas, Ph.D. (julie.dumas@uvm.edu), (802) 847-2523 for more information.
CHAMP Study Project
Did you know that 2/3 of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients in America are women?
Tremendous strides have been made in Alzheimer's Disease research over the past several years, but we do not know why the risk for Alzheimer's Disease is higher for women.
We are hoping to study whether biological, brain, and memory changes that occur at menopause are connected to late life risk for Alzheimer's Disease. This study is funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Understanding the biological, cognitive, and lifestyle factors that may differ between women after menopause is critical for helping us understand the increased risk for cognitive changes in women as they age.
You may be eligible to participate if you are:
- A woman between 50-70 years of age
- Postmenopausal (no menstrual period for one year)
- Nonsmoker
- Have not taken any type of hormone treatment in the past 12 months
Why Should I Participate?
- Women are at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- To help study whether biological, brain, and memory changes that occur at menopause are connected to late life risk for AD.
What is Involved?
- Interested women will undergo a telephone screening to determine eligibility.
- If you agree to participate in the study, you will complete a screening visit that will take place over video conference as well as in person. The screening visit will take approximately 3 hours and will take place at the Clinical Research Center (CRC) at the University of Vermont Medical Center. We will conduct the interview and cognitive assessment portions by video conference while you are at the CRC in a room next door to the investigators. You will also have a physical exam and standard medical test.
- After you are deemed eligible to continue participation, you will be scheduled for four (4) study visits at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Those visits will include two (2) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) brain scans, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) brain scan, and Lumbar Puncture.
Compensation
- Participants will receive monetary compensation for time and efforts.
Where Are We Located
- The Clinical Research Center is located at Shepardson 2
- University of Vermont Medical Center
- 111 Colchester Avenue
- Burlington, VT 05401
We are no longer enrolling subjects at the UVM site.
ABCD Study
ABCD Study
The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. The University of Vermont (UVM) is one of 21 research sites nationwide, following nearly 12,000 children ages 9–10 as they grow through adolescence and into young adulthood. Scientists are exploring how everyday experiences—such as sports, video games, social media use, sleep habits, and exposure to substances—interact with a child’s biology to shape brain development, behavior, and overall health. The insights gained will help families, educators, health professionals, and policymakers better support children’s well-being and lifelong success. The University of Vermont ABCD site is one of 21 sites all of over the United States participating in this study.
HBCD Study
HBCD Project Details
The Healthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) study, is conducting a nationwide, longitudinal study, involving as many people from different backgrounds as possible. The nation is recruiting 7,000 birthing parent-child pairs to examine brain and behavioral development over time in children with variable environments from birth through 10 years of age (USCD, 2022). Here in Vermont at UVM we are recruiting 300 birthing parent-child pairs. This groundbreaking effort will provide a well-rounded dataset for the scientific community. Furthermore, this study will study the roles of specific harmful and protective environments influencing child health and thus inform national policy.
Functional Brain Imaging Research
Functional Brain Imaging Research Project
Functional MRI or functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is a type of specialized MRI scan and one of the most recently developed forms of brain imaging. It is based on the same technology as the MRI -- a noninvasive test that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of the body. Instead of creating images of organs and tissues like MRI, an fMRI looks at blood flow in the brain to detect areas of activity. These changes in blood flow, which are captured on a computer and shown on the screen, help doctors and researchers understand more about how the brain works.
This neuroimaging technique allows us to detect the specific areas of the brain which are involved in a task, a process, or an emotion. Color changes on the fMRI scans show researchers what specific parts of the brain are being activated while the person in the scanner responds to images, sounds, or performs various tasks. This ability to see not only the structure of the brain, but the function of the brain is a major scientific advancement in medicine.
ADHD fMRI Studies
This research program analyzes the differences in cognitive functioning in those with and without ADHD using fMRI across developmental stages. We are also examining whether nicotine, the psychoactive constituent of tobacco, may have positive effects on cognitive and motor processes involving attention that appear to be impaired in many adolescents and young adults with ADHD.
Contact the Potter Lab at (802) 847-5444 or PotterLab@uvm.edu, for more information about any of these studies.
Cognitive Processes in ADHD: In this study we want to see how the brains of adults with ADHD function differently when asked to do tasks involving behavioral inhibition. To this end we are recruiting 100 non-smoking adults (18-65), 50 with and 50 without ADHD, and asking them to participate in two 2-hour study days in which they will perform a computer task while in the fMRI scanner.
The Effects of Nicotine and Ritalin on the ADHD Brain: The goal of this study is to use functional MRI to examine how nicotine improves impulse control and working memory in young adults (18-25) who either have or do not have ADHD. This study will look at patterns of brain activation associated with nicotine and methylphenidate (Ritalin, a common treatment for ADHD) to help understand how the differences in the brain functioning of people who have ADHD may affect their behavior. We are looking for 24 non-smoking young adults (18-25) who have, and 24 who do not have, ADHD. The volunteers will complete three 6-hour study visits in which they will receive nicotine alone, methylphenidate alone, or placebo and then be asked to perform computer tasks in the fMRI.
Diet and the Brain Research
Diet and the Brain Research Project
Our laboratory has had a major focus on understanding the role of fatty acids in the diet in normal and abnormal human cognition. Our prior studies have examined the effects of a diet higher in saturated fat (palmatic acid) compared to a diet relatively higher in a monounsaturated fat (oleic acid) to examine brain functioning. We have shown in prior studies that the diet high in saturated fat resulted in an increase in inflammatory markers in the blood. We propose that this increased inflammation affects brain functioning. Our lab has examined these relationships in healthy younger and middle aged women and is beginning to expand our studies to fatty acid effects on brain functioning older adults.