#57: Hormone Exposure on the Female Brain with Dr. Heather Bimonte Nelson (Part 1)

Hello Uterus

The brain and the uterus have a thing going, and Professor Heather Bimonte-Nelson and her team of talented researchers are on to them.

We’ve been waiting for this interview since the very beginning of Hello Uterus! This is a very special two-part episode with the guest of our dreams who is arguably conducting the most essential research on female health. Hysterectomies are the most common female surgical procedure, and in many cases, this surgery is elective. We've been led to believe that the uterus is like our tonsils - easy to remove, with no long-term implications. And that's not the case. The team at Arizona State University has discovered that when the uterus is removed, there is a negative impact on working memory. Which is as important as it sounds.

With the current lack of research and understanding of the female body, it is crucial to draw attention to the important research that IS happening. This is exactly why this week our guest and her team’s amazing work is the focus of this entire episode, and it's just Part 1. We are so grateful for the opportunity to have Professor Bimonte-Nelson walk us through the uterus and the brain, how hormones impact our bodies, and what we do and don't know about the uterus.

For over two decades, Dr. Nelson has conducted preclinical evaluations of multiple domains of cognitive and brain function as related to aging, transitional and surgical menopause, and hormone exposure across the lifespan. Her history of research has focused on sex differences and hormone effects on the brain and behavior from early development until old age. Her research is the holy grail for the future of female health and everyone listening! Thank you so much to Dr. Nelson and her team we are cheering you on here at uterinekind! Don’t forget to tune in next week for part 2!

Thanks for listening, learning, and being you. And join us back here every Tuesday for all things uterus, in service to you, uterinekind.

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Shownotes and links:

• Heather Bimonte-Nelson bio: https://search.asu.edu/profile/848335
• Behavioral Neuroscience of Memory & Aging: Bimonte-Nelson Laboratory
• Link to the study: www.endocrine.org/news-and-advocacy/news-room/2018/hysterectomy-may-be-linked-to-brain-function