Brain functional topology differs by sex in cognitively normal older adults

Late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, in which almost 70% of patients are women.

We hypothesized that women show worse global FC metrics compared to men, and further hypothesized a sex-specific positive correlation between FC metrics and cognitive scores in women.

We studied cognitively healthy individuals from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative cohort, with resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Metrics derived from graph theoretical analysis and functional connectomics were used to assess the global/regional sex differences in terms of functional integration and segregation, considering the amyloid status and the contributions of APOE E4. Linear mixed effect models with covariates (education, handedness, presence of apolipoprotein [APOE] E4 and intra-subject effect) were utilized to evaluate sex differences. The associations of verbal learning and memory abilities with topological network properties were assessed.

Women had a significantly lower magnitude of the global and regional functional network metrics compared to men. Exploratory association analysis showed that higher global clustering coefficient was associated with lower percent forgetting in women and worse cognitive scores in men.

Women overall show lower magnitude on measures of resting state functional network topology and connectivity. This factor can play a role in their different vulnerability to AD.

Two thirds of AD patients are women but the reasons for these sex difference are not well understood. When this late onset form dementia arises is too late to understand the potential causes of this sex disparities. Studies on cognitively healthy elderly population are a fundamental approach to explore in depth this different vulnerability to the most common form of dementia, currently affecting 6.2 million Americans aged 65 and older are, which means that >1 in 9 people (11.3%) 65 and older are affected by AD. Approaches such as resting-state functional network topology and connectivity may play a key role in understanding and elucidate sex-dependent differences relevant to late-onset dementia syndromes.