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ForwardSeptember 24, 2026: Lecture in Brain-Mind Medicine - New Frontiers in Women's Brain Health (Northern)
New Frontiers in Women's Brain Health
Description:
Women experience major endocrine transitions across the lifespan, yet the effects of these events on the human brain remain remarkably understudied. Recent work shows hormone-linked neuroanatomical remodeling unfolding across pregnancy and identifies menopause-related molecular signatures associated with brain aging, cognition, and dementia risk (Maki & Jaff, 2022). This lecture will examine emerging evidence that pregnancy and menopause are periods of dynamic neurobiological remodeling and will demonstrate how precision neuroimaging and molecular profiling can reveal changes that conventional cross-sectional approaches may miss.
Despite the prevalence of cognitive and affective symptoms during reproductive transitions, clinicians currently have limited mechanistic information with which to distinguish expected neurobiological adaptation from trajectories that may signal increased vulnerability to psychiatric or neurological disease (Maki & Jaff, 2022). The lecture will provide clinicians with a neuroscience-informed framework for recognizing menarche, matrescence, and menopause as important windows of brain plasticity and potential risk, with the goal of increasing clinician competence in recognizing and interpreting these changes (Hoekzema et al., 2017). The lecture will highlight emerging precision imaging approaches that may ultimately enable earlier identification of individuals at greatest risk and more precisely timed intervention (Lynch et al., 2024).
Target Audience
This program is intended for:
- Nurses
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Physicians
- Social Workers
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of the activity, participants will be able to:
- Describe how major hormonal transitions, including the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause, shape aspects of human brain structure and function.
- Evaluate how precision neuroimaging and longitudinal study designs can reveal dynamic, individualized patterns of brain remodeling that are obscured by conventional cross-sectional approaches.
- Identify how emerging neuroimaging and molecular biomarkers could improve recognition of individuals at heightened risk for psychiatric and neurodegenerative outcomes and inform opportunities for earlier, more precisely timed intervention.
SPEAKER(S)
Emily G. Jacobs, PhD
Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, UC Santa Barbara
Director, Ann S. Bowers Women’s Brain Health Initiative, UC Santa Barbara
Course summary
- 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of IHP and Massachusetts General Hospital. IHP is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
IHP designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 1.00 Nursing Contact Hours
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 13, sections 13, 14, 14A, 15 and 15D and Chapter 112, sections 74 through 81C authorize the Board of Registration in Nursing to regulate nursing practice and education.
This program meets the requirements of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (244 CMR 5.00) for 1.00 contact hours of nursing continuing education credit. Advance practice nurses, please note: Educational activities which meet the requirements of the ACCME (such as this activity) count towards 50% of the nursing requirement for ANCC accreditation.
- 1.00 Social Workers
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the MGH Institute of Health Professions is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. MGH Institute of Health Professions maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 clock hours for continuing education credits.
- 1.00 Participation
This course allows other providers to claim a Participation Certificate upon successful completion of this course.
Participation Certificates will specify the title, location, type of activity, date of activity, and number of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ associated with the activity. Providers should check with their regulatory agencies to determine ways in which AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may or may not fulfill continuing education requirements. Providers should also consider saving copies of brochures, agenda, and other supporting documents.
- 1.00 Psychologists CE Credit
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this activity for 1.00 CE credit.
Emily G. Jacobs, PhD
Emily Jacobs is a Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at UC Santa Barbara and Director of the Ann S. Bowers Women's Brain Health Initiative. Her body of work is redefining our understanding of the brain’s capacity to undergo dynamic neuroanatomical changes across major endocrine transitions. In 2024, her team published the first detailed map of the human brain across pregnancy, and she leads several multi-center studies on neurological changes tied to menopause. In recognition of her scholarly work, Dr. Jacobs was named a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholar, a National Academy of Sciences Frontiers of Science Kavli Fellow, and one of Science News’ “Top 10 Scientists” to watch. Dr. Jacobs serves on the Steering Committee of the Coalition for Women’s Brain Health, the Milken Institute’s Women’s Health Network, the Foundation for Women’s Health, and the WHAM Research Collaborative to drive the national and international agenda on women’s health research. Outside of the lab, her team partners with K-12 groups to advance girls' representation in STEM. Her work appears in The New York Times, National Geographic, Scientific American, NPR, BBC, TED, Netflix, Radiolab, and MasterClass. She is a graduate of Smith and UC Berkeley.
Disclosures:
Available Credit
- 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of IHP and Massachusetts General Hospital. IHP is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
IHP designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
- 1.00 Nursing Contact Hours
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 13, sections 13, 14, 14A, 15 and 15D and Chapter 112, sections 74 through 81C authorize the Board of Registration in Nursing to regulate nursing practice and education.
This program meets the requirements of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (244 CMR 5.00) for 1.00 contact hours of nursing continuing education credit. Advance practice nurses, please note: Educational activities which meet the requirements of the ACCME (such as this activity) count towards 50% of the nursing requirement for ANCC accreditation.
- 1.00 Social Workers
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the MGH Institute of Health Professions is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. MGH Institute of Health Professions maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 clock hours for continuing education credits.
- 1.00 Participation
This course allows other providers to claim a Participation Certificate upon successful completion of this course.
Participation Certificates will specify the title, location, type of activity, date of activity, and number of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ associated with the activity. Providers should check with their regulatory agencies to determine ways in which AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ may or may not fulfill continuing education requirements. Providers should also consider saving copies of brochures, agenda, and other supporting documents.
- 1.00 Psychologists CE Credit
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this activity for 1.00 CE credit.
Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, MGH Institute of Health Professions is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
1.0 Physicians
MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits ™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in this activity.
1.0 Physician Associates/Assistants
AAPA Credit Designation Statement – Live
MGH Institute of Health Professions has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
AAPA Credit Designation Statement – Enduring Materials
MGH Institute of Health Professions has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until {Expiration Date). PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
1.0 Nursing
MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this activity for 1.0 contact hours for nurses. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
1.0 Pharmacists
This activity provides 1.0 contact hours of continuing education credit.
NOTE FOR PHARMACISTS: Upon closing of the electronic evaluation, IHP will upload the pharmacy-related continuing education information to the CPE Monitor within 60 days. Per ACPE rules, IHP does not have access nor the ability to upload credits requested after the evaluation closes. It is the responsibility of the pharmacist or pharmacy technician to provide the correct information [NABP ePID and DOB (in MMDD format)] in order to receive credit for participating in a CE activity.
1.0 Psychologists:
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs. MGH Institute of Health Professions designates this activity for 1.0 CE credit.
1.0 Social Workers
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, MGH Institute of Health Professions is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. MGH Institute of Health Professions maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.0 clock hours for continuing education credits.
1.0 IPCE Credit
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 1.0 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.