Could higher FSH explain why women get Alzheimer's more often?
Elevated FSH - A Driver for Sex Differences in Alzheimer's Disease
This research looks at whether rising levels of the reproductive hormone FSH drive Alzheimer's disease, especially in women around menopause.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11158769 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, the team is studying how FSH (a hormone that rises during menopause) affects brain changes linked to Alzheimer's. They use well-established mouse models of AD and experiments on human brain tissue to see whether giving FSH worsens plaque and tangle pathology and whether blocking FSH helps. The researchers test FSH-blocking antibodies and reduce FSH receptor activity in the hippocampus to see if those steps prevent memory loss in animals. They are also tracing a molecular chain (C/EBPβ → AEP) that may explain how FSH leads to damaging cuts in APP and Tau proteins.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The most relevant patients would be women in the menopausal transition or postmenopausal women concerned about increased Alzheimer's risk related to hormonal changes.
Not a fit: People whose Alzheimer's is driven by causes unrelated to FSH, and those not in the menopausal age range, may not directly benefit from FSH-targeted approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If this work holds up in people, it could point to new treatments that block FSH or its brain effects to slow or prevent Alzheimer's in women.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical work in mice shows that blocking FSH or lowering FSH receptor activity can reduce AD-like pathology, but applying this approach to humans is still new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zaidi, Mone — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Zaidi, Mone
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.