Emily Budden
Doctoral Researcher
Research Interests
- Hormonal changes and Alzheimer's Disease
- Genetic risk factors for dementia
- Brain health and dementia risk
Biography
Emily Budden is a first year PhD student in the lab. Her PhD investigates the interaction of mid-life oestrogen changes and genetic risk for Alzheimer's Disease on women's cognitive health. She is based at the Centre for Dementia Studies in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Brighton & Sussex Medical School. She has a background in Psychology, completing her BSc and MSc at the University of Sussex.
Before starting her PhD, Emily worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator and a Research Assistant in the dementia research team at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
Research
Emily’s PhD investigates whether menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) interact with genetic risk for Alzheimer’s Disease (APOEe4) to influence women’s midlife cognitive health. To measure cognitive health, she will use digital tasks that assess domains sensisitve to early Alzheimer's Disease and that reflect subjective menopause complaints.
Emily has a particular interest in sex differences in Alzheimer’s Disease risk and how to promote healthy ageing. She is also interested in health inequalities in dementia risk and care more widely. Emily is passionate about public engagement and PPI involvement in research, with plans to host public engagement events and PPI workshops during her PhD.
Publications and Research Outputs
- Alzheimer's Research UK Conference, 2025 (poster): Do the effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy on cognition differ by APOE genotype?
- Budden, E., Atkinson, S., Berens, S., Stanton, A., King, S., Minihane, AM., Hornberger, M., ... (2024). Do the effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy during menopause differ by APOE genotype? Alzheimer's & Dementia, 20.
- Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2024 (poster): Do the effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy during menopause differ by APOE genotype?
- Alzheimer's Disease International 2024 (poster): Experiences of UK Ethnic minority groups when accessing diagnostic and post-diagnostic services: systematic review and meta-synthesis.
- Read, S., Hicks, B., Budden, E., … (2023). Long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life of people with dementia and their family carers. Age and ageing, 53(1).