Groundbreaking Research Focuses on Perimenopause and Mental Health
A new $3.7 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health is funding research at Michigan State University to explore an often overlooked period in women’s lives: perimenopause. The study, led by MSU’s Department of Psychology, aims to understand how hormonal fluctuations during midlife may influence mental health outcomes, including psychosis, bipolar disorder, and other mood-related symptoms.
Why Perimenopause Deserves a Deeper Look
For decades, medical research has largely bypassed women’s midlife experiences. While midlife has been associated with a spike in certain psychiatric symptoms, there has been limited systematic investigation into how hormonal changes drive these outcomes. The MSU team is pushing beyond age as a proxy for risk, seeking to determine whether biological shifts during perimenopause independently elevate vulnerability to mental health challenges.
The Study: A Daily Window into Hormones and Mood
The project will follow 750 women aged 40–60 as they collect daily saliva samples and complete detailed questionnaires. This design captures daily hormone variations, a level of granularity not achieved in prior research. By tracking both estradiol and progesterone—rather than focusing on estradiol alone—the researchers hope to map how hormonal interplay correlates with psychological symptoms in real time.
Key Questions
- Do daily hormonal fluctuations predict increased risk for psychosis during perimenopause?
- How do levels of estradiol and progesterone interact to influence mood disorders in midlife women?
- Can findings guide more personalized clinical approaches to support women through this transition?
Leadership and Perspective
The study is led by Kristy Culbert, a research specialist and co-principal investigator, alongside Kelly Klump, a Research Foundation Professor, and Katharine Thakkar, Associate Professor. Klump notes that this research is the first to examine perimenopausal hormonal shifts in an intensive daily study to assess psychosis risk in women. She emphasizes the public health potential: identifying at‑risk individuals could transform how midlife mental health is monitored and treated.
A Public Health Outlook: From Knowledge to Care
“All women go through this period of life, just like with puberty, but only a subset is vulnerable to experiencing outcomes like psychosis, mood disorders, and other mental health concerns,” Klump explains. The researchers hope their findings will lead to better health care approaches, more personalized treatments, and greater societal awareness of women’s midlife experiences.
Enrollment, Community Impact, and the Road Ahead
As participation continues, researchers have been heartened by strong interest from women who want to contribute to this understudied phase of life. Culbert notes that many participants report feeling unheard or forgotten during perimenopause, making their involvement in this project especially meaningful. The study is expected to conclude in early 2027, but its impact could extend far beyond its end date through new screening tools, treatment options, and public health strategies.
Why Sustained Investment Matters
The researchers acknowledge that ongoing funding is essential to fully unravel the perimenopause–mental health connection. They advocate for sustained investment in women’s health research to ensure robust findings translate into real-world care that supports women through one of life’s most significant transitions.
Looking to the Future
As the study progresses, the team envisions a future where perimenopause is understood not as a mysterious, isolated experience but as a well-characterized biological transition with clear implications for mental health. The ultimate aim is to equip clinicians with better screening, early intervention, and personalized treatment strategies that help women thrive during midlife.
