Weight training may sharpen memory in perimenopausal women
NCT ID NCT07272174
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looks at whether 6 months of progressive resistance training (like lifting weights) can improve thinking and memory in perimenopausal women aged 40 to 55 who have mild memory complaints. Researchers will also measure muscle health, sleep, mood, and quality of life. The goal is to understand if exercise can help protect the brain during this life stage.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Progressive Resistance Training (behavioral intervention)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, drug-free way to protect brain health during perimenopause and potentially lower dementia risk later in life.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 50 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Exercise programs also require long-term commitment, and benefits may vary.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Mar 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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40 to 55 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Are biological females, as assigned at birth * Are aged between 40 and 55 years * Had at least 1 menstrual period in the last 10 months * Are perimenopausal based on STRAW +10 Staging System, or answer "yes" to MQ6 questions of changes in periods, having hot flashes, or vaginal dryness, pain, or sexual concerns * Have an intact uterus * Have a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score \>26/30, indicating normal cognition * Have subjective cognitive complaints defined as responding "yes" to "Do you feel like your memory or thinking is becoming worse?" * Completed high school education * Read and speak English with acceptable visual and auditory acuity * Are able to safely engage in moderate-intensity PRT as indicated by the PAR-Q+; and * Are able to provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Are engaged in regular PRT (i.e., 2x/week) in the prior three months * Are diagnosed with cognitive impairment or dementia of any type * Are at high risk for cardiac complications during exercise * Have clinically important peripheral neuropathy or severe musculoskeletal or joint disease that impairs mobility * Are taking medications that negatively affect cognitive function, such as anticholinergics, major tranquilizers, and anticonvulsants * Have a BMI \<15 or anorexia nervosa; g) had surgical menopause * Had endometrial ablation that resulted in the loss of menstruation * Have polycystic ovarian syndrome * Currently undergoing chemo * Are using estrogen-containing contraception in the last 12 months * Had premature ovarian failure; or * Are already enrolled in a drug or exercise trial
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of British Columbia
RECRUITINGVancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 1M9, Canada
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- Could a tiny ear device ease severe PMS and menopause symptoms?
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