FSH hormone link to memory loss and bone fractures in older adults
Official title: Role of FSH in Coupling Dementia and Fracture in the AGES-Reykjavik Cohort of Older Adults
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11365795 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at whether higher levels of the hormone FSH are connected to memory problems and weaker bones in older adults, especially postmenopausal women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| 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 start | February 1, 2019 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $428,387 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AG060917-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11365795 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
The research is most relevant to older adults, particularly postmenopausal women, who have concerns about cognitive decline or low bone density.
✕Less likely to help
Younger adults or people without signs of memory problems or bone loss are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
I would be part of a project that uses long-term health data from older adults in the AGES-Reykjavik group to compare blood FSH levels with memory tests, dementia diagnoses, and bone density or fractures. The team combines that human data with laboratory findings that suggest FSH can affect brain cells and bone. They will analyze blood samples, cognitive test results, imaging and bone measurements already collected in the cohort to see how these things move together over time. The goal is to understand whether a shared hormonal change could explain why dementia and fractures often occur together in aging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the link is confirmed, the work could point to new ways to prevent or treat both memory decline and bone loss by targeting FSH-related pathways.
How similar studies have gone: Animal studies report that FSH can drive cognitive decline and prior analyses in this cohort have found correlations between high FSH, low bone density, and fractures, but clear proof in people is still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schafer, Anne Louise — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Schafer, Anne Louise
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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.