Menopause, hormones, and Alzheimer’s disease: an in vivo perspective
Official title: Menopause, hormone therapy and Alzheimer's disease clinicopathology: An in vivo perspective
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11531378 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how hormone therapy around menopause might influence the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in postmenopausal women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00AG083063-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11531378 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Postmenopausal women who are considering or currently using hormone therapy and are at risk for or concerned about Alzheimer’s disease.
✕Less likely to help
Women without hormone therapy exposure or those with different risk profiles may not experience direct benefit from this research.
What this research studies
If you are a postmenopausal woman at risk for Alzheimer’s, this research looks at how the timing of hormone therapy could affect the buildup of Alzheimer's pathology over several years. The study combines observational data with brain imaging and biomarkers to see how estrogen-related treatment might influence amyloid and tau deposition and cognitive changes. The team will build expertise in PET imaging, biofluids, statistics, hormones, and clinical trials to prepare for a future trial comparing hormone timing and dementia risk. Results could help guide personalized decisions about hormone therapy to reduce the chance of Alzheimer’s-related decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform safer timing of hormone therapy to lower Alzheimer’s risk for women.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests timing of hormone exposure may influence Alzheimer’s pathology, but large longitudinal confirmation is needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Coughlan, Gillian Theresa — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Coughlan, Gillian Theresa
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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.