Alzheimer's disease develops differently in men and women
Vanderbilt University: tau protein spreads through women's brains at an accelerated rate via neural networks, which explains the higher incidence of Alzheimer's.
Vanderbilt University: tau protein spreads through women's brains at an accelerated rate via neural networks, which explains the higher incidence of Alzheimer's.
According to statistics, Alzheimer's disease affects women more often than men. And it seems scientists have figured out why. On one hand, women have a longer life expectancy. That is, many men simply don't live long enough to develop dementia. But researchers at Vanderbilt University believe the cause lies elsewhere.
They analyzed brain scan results from more than 400 men and women, both healthy and those with mild cognitive impairment. It turned out that tau protein, which is dangerous to neurons, spreads differently depending on the patient's sex. The female brain attracted the scientists' attention through several zones. They linked various regions with neural networks that facilitated the accelerated spread of tau proteins throughout the women's brains.
Meanwhile, the University of Miami is betting on genes. According to its staff, there are 11 genes that increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease depending on sex. Two "female" genes were associated with the formation of an immune response. Two other genes that raise the disease risk in men played a role in endocytosis - the process of capturing external material by the cell.
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