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Sex differences in Alzheimer's disease.
Keith R Laws1, Karen Irvine1,2, Tim M Gale1,2
1School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire.
Current Opinion in Psychiatry
|January 12, 2018
Summary
Women experience greater cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease than men. This review examines sex differences in Alzheimer's cognition, risk factors, and resilience, highlighting implications for clinical practice.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Gerontology
Background:
- Women exhibit a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- Emerging research indicates women experience more rapid cognitive deterioration in AD compared to men.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent studies investigating sex-based differences in cognitive function within Alzheimer's disease.
- To synthesize findings on cognitive decline, risk factors, resilience, and cognitive reserve in AD.
Main Methods:
- Systematic electronic search for articles, reviews, and meta-analyses published between January 2016 and December 2017.
- Identification and analysis of 298 relevant articles focusing on sex differences in AD cognition.
Main Results:
- Consistent evidence confirms poorer cognitive outcomes for women with AD across multiple domains (visuospatial, verbal, memory).
- These cognitive differences are observed despite potential sex-related processing advantages in healthy individuals.
- Factors contributing to these disparities include cognitive reserve, resilience, genetics (apolipoprotein ε4), and brain changes.
Conclusions:
- Sex-related differences in Alzheimer's disease progression and cognitive decline are significant.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for tailoring clinical practice and interventions.
- Further research into the underlying mechanisms of sex differences in AD is warranted.