The Uncharted Mind: Women's Mental Health and Creative Ageing

Our hormones naturally fluctuate throughout our lives—during puberty, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause—yet the emotional and mental impacts of these changes have long been underrepresented in medical research. As a medical doctor and future PhD student in psychiatry, we’ll explore together what the latest scientific studies are telling us about how female hormones influence women’s mental health. Focusing on key life stages like pregnancy, the postpartum period, and menopause. We will uncover which groups may be more at risk, how to identify early signs of mental health struggles, and, most importantly, what women can do to better understand themselves and be better understood by others.

What happens to our brains as we age? How does this effect our ability to generate new ideas? And how can we keep our minds flexible, curious, and engaged as we grow older? In this talk, we will examine what cognitive neuroscience reveals about the aging brain – and how changes in memory, executive function, and brain structure can influence creative thinking—sometimes in surprising and positive ways. Contrary to the view of aging as a time of cognitive decline, I’ll present research that highlights how the brain’s remarkable adaptability can open new creative possibilities in later life.

Drawing on current evidence, I’ll share practical strategies to enhance creative thinking, support cognitive resilience, and promote well-being. Together, we’ll challenge outdated narratives and reframe aging as a time of innovation and continued growth.