Can Brain Retraining Help Perimenopause Symptoms? Inside a New Research Study
Menopause Mastery | Can Brain Retraining Help Perimenopause Symptoms? Inside a New Research Study | Ep. 299 with Kate Staszel Welcome to Menopause Mastery! 🌿 👉 What if retraining the brain could help women better navigate some of the symptoms of perimenopause and early menopause? In this episode, Dr. Betty Murray is joined by Kate Staszel, a research manager with the Chronic Conditions Research Fund, to discuss a new exploratory study examining amygdala and insula retraining (AIR) in women experiencing perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms. The conversation explores how hormonal changes may affect the nervous system, stress response, brain fog, fatigue, mood, sleep and other symptoms. Kate explains what study participants can expect, including the eligibility requirements, weekly webinars, daily practices, study timeline and waitlist/control group. The episode also tackles why more research specifically focused on women in perimenopause and menopause is needed—and why participation in clinical research matters for expanding future treatment options. In this episode, you'll learn: * What amygdala and insula retraining is * Why hormonal changes may affect the brain and nervous system * What previous research has found in other chronic conditions * What this new menopause study is designed to investigate * Who may be eligible to participate * What the six-month study involves * Why women's participation is essential to advancing menopause research * How to learn more and apply for the study **Important:** This is an exploratory research study. The effectiveness of the intervention for perimenopause and menopause is still being investigated. This episode is for educational and research-awareness purposes only. It is not medical advice, and participation in a research study is voluntary. Speak with your qualified healthcare professional about your symptoms and treatment options. 🚨 Perimenopause & Early Menopause Research Study ℹ️ Now recruiting: Adults ages 38–60 experiencing perimenopausal or early menopausal symptoms may be eligible to participate in a six-month online research study. 👉 Participation includes a 3-month brain retraining program, weekly online webinars, and online study assessments. There is no cost to participate. 💭 Interested in learning more and seeing if you may qualify? 🔗 Links: 🔹Study Information & Eligibility: https://tinyurl.com/Perimenopause-Interested Luther College IRB approved. 🔹Informed Consent Form: https://tinyurl.com/Perimenopause-Study-ICF 🔹Eligibility Form: https://tinyurl.com/Perimenopause-Eligibility 🔹Participant flyer that includes all the inclusion criteria: https://tinyurl.com/Perimenopause-Study-Flyer 🔹CCRF's site: https://ccrfund.org/ 🔹More information available at: https://www.drbettymurray.com and https://getmenrva.com If this episode helped you understand the connection between menopause and the nervous system, share it with another woman who may benefit from learning about the study. 🌿 🎙️Subscribe to Menopause Mastery for more conversations about hormones, metabolism, brain health, and evidence-informed strategies for navigating perimenopause and menopause. @drbettymurray 00:00 Welcome & Introduction to the Study 01:23 How Hormonal Changes Can Affect the Brain and Body 02:34 What Is Amygdala & Insula Retraining? 04:23 What Previous Research Has Shown 05:29 What Participants Can Expect 06:52 How the Study Groups Work 08:25 Who Can Participate? 09:13 Study Exclusions & Medical Criteria 10:27 Risks, Time Commitment & Potential Benefits 12:00 What an Institutional Review Board Does 13:05 Why Women Need to Participate in Research 14:04 Expanding Access Beyond Traditional Treatment 15:19 Why Menopause Deserves a Different Approach 16:54 The Nervous System & Window of Tolerance 18:04 The Central Research Question 19:27 How to Participate in the Study 20:55 Where to Find the Study Information 21:16 Study Timeline & Participant Commitment 22:05 Final Call to Action & Sign-Off 📌 Connect with Dr. Betty Murray: Website: https://www.drbettymurray.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbettymurray/ ✅ Let us know what you think! Like, comment, and subscribe on YouTube: @drbettymurray 🔗 Links: Menrva Telemedicine: https://gethormonesnow.com/ https://getmenrva.com/ Living Well Dallas: https://www.livingwelldallas.com/ The Fierce Female Method for Longevity (Dr. Betty's book): https://fierce.hormoneshelp.com/ 🎙️ More from the Podcast: Subscribe to #MenopauseMastery → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwONPdSvb2-YYY74VhD-XBw Apple Podcasts→ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/menopause-mastery/id1607369247 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/0tNsjm32CZNXSgSFEwS3uH Thank you for listening to Menopause Mastery. Empowering your health journey, one episode at a time. 🌱 #menopausemastery #menopausepodcast #medicalresearch #womenshealth #womenshealthpodcast #researchstudy #menopausesymptoms #perimenopause #earlymenopause