Introduction:
Alzheimer’s disease is more prevalent among older individuals, especially those who are over 65 years old. This condition is found to be more common among women. The main reason may be that women tend to live longer than men. Many studies were conducted to determine the reason why women were affected more than men by Alzheimer’s disease.
What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that initiates mild memory loss and may lead to loss of ability to converse and respond to the environment. It is a progressive disorder that is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid and tau proteins in the brain.
In this condition, the shrinkage of the brain, and the slow death of brain cells occurs. Individuals affected by AD lose their ability to function because of a gradual decline in memory, thinking, behavior, and social skills. This condition is considered to be a type of dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease cannot be cured. Medicines may help reduce the speed of the progression of symptoms. In the advanced stage, complications like dehydration, malnutrition, and infections may occur due to a severe loss of brain function. These complications may result in the death of an individual.
Who Is More Likely to Get Alzheimer’s Females or Males?
AD is a type of dementia that is more commonly occurring in the elderly. Researchers have found that women are affected more than men by AD. Out of 5 million people living with AD in the U.S. (United States), nearly two-thirds of these are women.
More than 15 million women are taking care of Individuals with AD in the U.S. This causes a burden for those women who are at work and at home. This condition forces them to make difficult choices regarding careers, relationships, and their futures.
AD is twice as likely to affect women when compared with men. The simple and main reason for this is that women live longer than men. As AD commonly occurs at an older age, women may be affected.
It was found that a protein that accumulates in the brain called tau and a gene called apolipoprotein E (APOE) and its effect on tau may also be the reason for the occurrence of gender differences in AD.
Factors Involved in the Sex-Linked Differences in the Risk of AD:
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The differences found in genes may be because of the composition of sex chromosomes.
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Sex hormones.
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Differences in brain composition.
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Gender and life experiences.
Age:
Age is considered the biggest factor in the development of AD. It was observed that women live longer than men. The increased count is accountable for women already having AD, and new cases of AD among women were added to the old count. Women were found to live longer with AD.
A study done in 2020 gave the reason why women live longer with AD. The researchers identified a gene called KDM6A. This gene is present on the X chromosome as a resilient factor.
It was found that the expression of KDM6A is increased in women and is responsible for slower cognitive decline among the aging population.
Differences in Brain Composition:
In individuals affected by AD, researchers have observed the deposition of amyloid proteins, or plaques, between the brain cells and tangles of tau proteins inside the neurons. Apart from these depositions, they have noticed extensive neuronal death.
It was noticed that gene expression was higher among women, responsible for the increased deposition of amyloid and tau proteins.
The brains of individuals with AD exhibit neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation was in response to the deposition of amyloid and tau proteins by the immune cells called microglia.
Studies have found that neuroinflammation and corresponding immune-related genes are related to an increased risk for AD.
It was observed that women had increased neuroinflammation and more robust immune responses when compared to men. Apart from these, the sex-linked characteristic was found in microglia. Investigations are active to know further.
Genetic and Hormonal Risk Factors:
A gene called APOE4 (apolipoprotein E4) is another risk factor for AD. This gene produces a protein that is major in moving cholesterol through the body. This gene has a stronger effect on women than on men.
It takes many years for AD to develop. During this period, preclinical AD may develop, and women may undergo menopause. Hence, researchers thought that estrogen may be the reason for the development of AD.
Androgens, male sex hormones, and testosterone are found to be neuroprotective in late life. This may be the reason for the reduced risk of developing AD among males.
A study conducted in 2022 found that pituitary gonadotrophin follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels tend to increase in the perimenopausal phase. This hormone was found to be a risk factor for the development of AD. FSH was found to act on neurons and cause impairment of cognition. A study has found that blocking the action of FSH helps reduce AD. This explains why women are affected more than men by AD.
The interpretation of the research is influenced by various biological factors and lifestyle factors. These factors include education, occupation, social activities, diet, and exercise. These factors, along with biological factors, increase or decrease the risk of AD.
Lifestyle factors that are under control can focus on reducing the risk of AD.
These include,
Eating Right: Consuming various nutritious, low-glycemic diets helps. Incorporating vitamins, omega-3 fats, minerals, and antioxidants helps reduce the risk of developing AD.
Exercise: Regular exercise helps in maintaining body weight, and this, in turn, improves the immune system, blood pressure, brain health, and eye health.
Sleep: Good quality sleep is essential for disposing of the proteins deposited in the brain in early AD.
Active Mind: keeping the mind active may help reduce AD risk. An example of this may be memory games.
Overall Health: Optimizing overall health in adulthood and middle age is essential to prevent or manage diabetes, heart disease, traumatic brain injury, depression, and more.
Conclusion:
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease that impairs memory, thinking, and behavior. The most commonly affected group includes older age. This condition is more common among women than men. Many factors are responsible for the increased risk of developing AD among women. Hence, it is important to know about AD and the factors that are associated with the risk of development of AD among women. Knowing the reasons helps prevent the disorder, and adopting certain lifestyles can improve the life of an individual affected by AD.
