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Author Spotlight: Exploring Sex-Specific Glial Signatures and Therapeutic Leads for Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: May 20, 2024
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Alzheimer's pathogenic mechanisms and underlying sex difference
Donghui Zhu1,2, Axel Montagne3,4, Zhen Zhao5,6
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA. Donghui.Zhu@stonybrook.edu.
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS
|April 12, 2021
Summary
Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects more women than men, not just due to longer lifespans. Biological factors like hormones and genetics also increase women's AD risk, necessitating personalized medicine approaches.
Area of Science:
- Neurodegenerative diseases
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) research
- Sex differences in health
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) disproportionately affects women, with nearly two-thirds of patients being female.
- While longer female lifespan contributes to higher AD prevalence, it doesn't fully explain the sex disparity.
- Emerging evidence suggests distinct biological mechanisms underlie sex-specific AD risk and progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current data on sex differences in Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- To explore biological mechanisms contributing to divergent AD risk between sexes.
- To highlight the role of sex differences in advancing precision medicine for AD.
Main Methods:
- Review of preclinical and clinical studies on sex differences in AD.
- Analysis of epidemiological data and biological risk factors.
- Synthesis of current research on sex-specific AD mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Sex differences in AD risk extend beyond longevity, involving distinct biological pathways.
- Identified risk factors in women include brain structure variations, hormonal changes, genetic predispositions (e.g., APOE), immune responses (e.g., TREM2), and vascular disorders.
- Psychosocial stress and pregnancy also appear to influence AD risk in women.
Conclusions:
- Biological sex is a critical factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis and progression.
- Understanding these sex-specific mechanisms is crucial for developing targeted diagnostic tools and treatments.
- This knowledge paves the way for precision medicine approaches in AD care.
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