Research linking hormonal changes and brain health could transform women's health

By Isreal Hale

Published October 30, 2026 at 8:46 AM EDT

The Center for Biomedical and Brain Imaging is where the Mechanical Neuroimaging Lab is located. This 11,600 square feet facility houses the first research Functional MRI (fMRI) scanner in the State of Delaware serving researchers on campus and statewide. An fMRI scanner can map the brain by tracking blood-flow and activity.

Hormonal changes can now be linked to brain health in women, but do they affect brain function?

That is the topic of the latest research from the University of Delaware’s Mechanical Neuroimaging Lab which is directed by Curtis Johnson, PhD. The findings, published in a journal called Brain Communications, were spearheaded by first author Katrina Milbocker, PhD who is a postdoctoral researcher in the lab.

The team used an imaging technique called Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) which they found could detect hormone-related changes in a part of the brain. They joined Delaware Public Media’s Isreal Hale to explain their research, where they would take it from here and how it could impact women’s health.

Hormones and Brain Health

Listen to Isreal Hale's full interview with Katrina Milbocker and Curtis Johnson about their research linking hormonal changes to women's brain health.