PMOS/PCOS may be linked to Alzheimer's disease and dementia
· Medical Xpressedited by Swati Mestri, reviewed by Andrew Zinin
Swati Mestri
Scientific Editor
Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process
Andrew Zinin
Chief Editor
Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process Editors' notes
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
fact-checked
trusted source
proofread
The GIST Add to Preferred Sources
Alzheimer's disease and dementia may be more common in women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), according to a review of existing evidence published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.
PMOS affects 10% to 15% of women worldwide and is linked to a wide range of health issues, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, depression, anxiety, infertility and endometrial cancer. The condition can have lifelong effects and may also affect males, but in different ways.
"Clinically, PMOS patients exhibit mild but reproducible impairments in executive function and memory, alongside structural and functional brain alterations, which could suggest a greater risk for Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
"Current evidence suggests that any association between PMOS and Alzheimer's disease and dementia is likely mediated by metabolic comorbidities, particularly insulin resistance and obesity, rather than an independent effect of PMOS itself," said study co-author Ricardo Azziz of the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama.
The researchers conducted a comprehensive PubMed search from inception through October 2025 and inferred that people with PMOS may be at greater risk for changes in memory, thinking, brain health and pathways linked to Alzheimer's disease.
They also deduced that these risks may be related to common health conditions that often occur alongside PMOS, such as obesity and metabolic disorders. The review highlights important gaps in knowledge and identifies key areas for future research.
"Understanding how these two disorders that significantly impact women's health worldwide are interrelated presents the opportunity to not only understand what these two very important morbidities have in common but also to discover new pathways and causes which could guide the development of novel treatments for these devastating diseases," Azziz said.
More information
Potential Links Between PCOS/PMOS and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias, Journal of the Endocrine Society (2026)
Key medical concepts
Alzheimer's DiseaseDementiaInsulin ResistanceObesity
Clinical categories
Women's healthNeurologyEndocrinologyObstetrics & gynecologyHealthy aging Provided by The Endocrine Society Who's behind this story?
Swati Mestri
Swati Mestri holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering and has worked as a content editor since 2019. She has experience editing research documents across technology, health care, and materials science, and has a particular interest in technology and space. Full profile →
Andrew Zinin
Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →
Citation: PMOS/PCOS may be linked to Alzheimer's disease and dementia (2026, October 13) retrieved 13 October 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-pmospcos-linked-alzheimer-disease-dementia.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.