Could Estrogen Loss Explain Sex Differences In Alzheimer Disease?

Women with Alzheimer disease are more severely affected by the neurodegenerative disease than men, according to a new study.

Alzheimer disease is the most common cognitive disorder in the world. It is well known that more women get Alzheimer than men, and the number of diagnoses increase with age. However, little research has explored why women are more affected.
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To make this assessment, researchers reviewed population studies focused on cognitive impairment in male versus female patients at the same stage of Alzheimer disease.

The studies assessed multiple cognitive functions, including verbal and visuospatial abilities and memory.

In most cases, researchers found that men outperformed women in language and semantic abilities, visuospatial abilities, and episodic memory, regardless of age or education.

Researchers theorized that estrogen loss in women may contribute to their quick cognitive decline or that men have a greater cognitive reserve.

“Possible explanations are for a hormonal influence, possibly due to estrogen loss in women or a greater cognitive reserve in males, which provides protection against the disease process. Future studies which examine sex differences on a longitudinal basis may provide greater clarity on these issues."

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Laws KR, Irvine K, Gale TM. Sex differences in cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease [published online March 22, 2016]. World J Psychiatry. doi:10.5498/wjp.v6.i1.54.