Page 175 - Read Online
P. 175
us observe brain atrophy. After 1,368 MRI scans, a environments may be the key to unraveling broad
study demonstrated that brain atrophic rates were sex differences in AD.
about 1-1.5% faster in females than males. The
[6]
levels of Aβ and tau protein in CSF are promising Financial support and sponsorship
42
biomarkers of AD. Although by now, there is no Nil.
remarkable evidence suggesting sex differences in
Aβ and tau levels in CSF, Koran’s study showed Conflicts of interest
42
that associations between Aβ and tau levels in There are no conflicts of interest.
42
CSF and brain atrophy in MRI were sex-specific. A
total of 348 normal control, 565 patients with MCI REFERENCES
and 185 patients with AD from Alzheimer’s disease 1. Koran ME, Wagener M, Hohman TJ. Sex differences in the
neuroimaging initiative were included in this study. association between AD biomarkers and cognitive decline.
Participants were followed for an average of 2.5 Brain Imaging Behav 2016; Doi: 10.1007/s11682-016-9523-8.
years. A significant interaction between sex and CSF 2. Jia J, Wang F, Wei C, Zhou A, Jia X, Li F, Tang M, Chu L, Zhou
Aβ levels was found on longitudinal hippocampal Y, Zhou C, Cui Y, Wang Q, Wang W, Yin P, Hu N, Zuo X, Song
H, Qin W, Wu L, Li D, Jia L, Song J, Han Y, Xing Y, Yang P, Li
42
atrophy and longitudinal decline in memory and Y, Qiao Y, Tang Y, Lv J, Dong X. The prevalence of dementia in
executive function. A similar interaction between urban and rural areas of China. Alzheimers Dement 2014;10:1-9.
sex and CSF tau levels was also observed. With the 3. Mielke MM, Vemuri P, Rocca WA. Clinical epidemiology of
Alzheimer’s disease: assessing sex and gender differences. Clin
decrease of CSF Aβ levels or increase of tau levels, Epidemiol 2014;6:37-48.
42
females showed faster hippocampal atrophy and 4. Li JQ, Tan L, Wang HF, Tan MS, Tan L, Xu W, Zhao QF, Wang
cognitive decline compared with males. This result J, Jiang T, Yu JT. Risk factors for predicting progression from
mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic
was not modified by different diagnosis. review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. J Neurol Neurosurg
Psychiatry 2016;87:476-84.
The authors pointed out in discussion that the 5. Barnes LL, Wilson RS, Bienias JL, Schneider JA, Evans DA,
result could be explained by age-related changes Bennett DA. Sex differences in the clinical manifestations of
Alzheimer disease pathology. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2005;
in estrogen levels. Actually, the decline of estrogen 62:685-691.
levels after menopause is only one of the reasons 6. Hua X, Hibar D P, Lee S, Toga AW, Jack CR Jr, Weiner MW,
that are related to sex differences in AD. The Thompson PM. Sex and age differences in atrophic rates:
an ADNI study with n = 1368 MRI scans. Neurobiol Aging
interaction between genes, hormones and social 2010;31:1463-80.
166 Neuroimmunol Neuroinflammation | Volume 3 | July 8, 2016