FSH and Alzheimer's Risk: What a New Study Reveals

A menopause hormone may be more relevant to brain health than previously understood.

Women account for approximately two-thirds of all Alzheimer's cases. Researchers have long suspected that the hormonal changes of menopause play a role in that disparity, but a study published earlier this year in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience suggests the hormone responsible may not be the one most people would expect.

What is FSH?

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is produced by the pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of the brain. During the reproductive years, FSH prompts the ovaries to produce oestrogen each month. As women move through perimenopause and into postmenopause, the ovaries become less responsive and oestrogen production falls. In response, the pituitary produces more and more FSH, which is why FSH levels rise significantly during and after menopause. It is the hormone measured in blood tests to help confirm whether a woman is in perimenopause or postmenopause.

What the study found

Researchers enrolled 884 postmenopausal women aged 60 and over, none of whom were taking hormone replacement therapy. Participants were grouped according to cognitive function: cognitively normal, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease dementia. FSH levels rose consistently across those groups, from the cognitively normal women through to those with Alzheimer's dementia.

A subset of participants also had brain scans that measured the accumulation of amyloid plaques, sticky protein deposits in the brain that are a defining feature of Alzheimer's disease. Women with higher FSH levels had greater plaque accumulation across multiple brain regions. Further analysis suggested that FSH's association with poorer cognition appeared to operate, at least in part, through this increase in plaque burden.

Oestradiol, the main form of oestrogen and the hormone that has historically received the most attention in relation to Alzheimer's risk, showed no significant association with cognitive performance or plaque accumulation at any stage.

Why this is significant

FSH has traditionally been seen as a marker of ovarian ageing rather than a hormone with any direct effect on the brain. This study adds to emerging evidence that FSH receptors are present in brain tissue and that elevated FSH may actively contribute to the processes that lead to Alzheimer's pathology, rather than simply reflecting hormonal decline.

What the study cannot confirm

This research identifies an association, not a cause. It cannot confirm that elevated FSH directly causes Alzheimer's disease, and further studies following women over time will be needed before that question can be answered. The findings are a meaningful signal, not a clinical recommendation.

Reference

Wang SM, Jeong C, Um YH et al. Follicle-stimulating hormone linked to cognitive decline and amyloid burden in postmenopausal women. Front Aging Neurosci. 2026;17:1697255. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2025.1697255

Editorial Note

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, speak to a qualified healthcare professional.