Most menopause conversations focus almost entirely on hormones. But what if that’s only part of the story? In this episode, Sally Garozzo explores emerging neuroscience on estradiol, fear circuitry, and trauma exposure, including a 2025 study suggesting that estrogen interacts differently with the brain’s threat regulation system depending on prior stress and trauma history. We unpack why HRT helps many women but isn’t always the whole answer, how the nervous system shapes our menopausal experience, and why understanding the intersection of menopause, trauma, and nervous system regulation can offer a more complete picture of midlife wellbeing.

Research referenced in this episode

• Stevens JS et al. (2025). Estradiol modulation of threat circuitry and PTSD vulnerability.
  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12745815/
  
  
• Sartin-Tarm A et al. (2020). Estradiol Modulates Neural and Behavioral Arousal in Women With PTSD.
  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7606348/
  
  
• Glover EM et al. Estrogen and extinction of fear memories.
  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25796471/
  
  
• Wegerer M et al. (2014). Low estradiol and fear extinction responses.
  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4256064/
  
  
• Zeidan MA et al. (2011). Estradiol enhances fear extinction recall via vmPFC–amygdala interaction.
  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3197763/

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