Sex and gender differences in Alzheimer’s disease: current challenges and implications for clinical practice

Post Written By: Benedetta Romeo

In individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and obesity, cognitive impairment seems to differ between men and women. Despite similar lifestyle and clinical risk factors, these differences remain, with women showing a notably lower prevalence of cognitive impairment than men.

In this study, we examine potential factors contributing to these differences and how they might help us in finding better prevention strategies.

Key observations:

  1. Cognitive impairment (mild cognitive impairment or dementia) was 30% lower in women than men. This could not be explained by differences in risk factor profiles, intervention assignment or adherence, or how T2DM was treated and controlled over time. However, these differences were attenuated among APOE-ɛ4 carriers
  2. Women outperformed men in verbal memory, processing speed, and general cognitive assessments. Notably, this difference persisted across age groups, indicating potential sex-based resilience mechanisms in cognitive aging
  3. Lifestyle interventions aimed at diabetes management did not alter cognitive differences between sexes. Both men and women benefited similarly, suggesting that male sex might independently elevate cognitive impairment risk in this population
  4. Understanding the biological and hormonal mechanisms, including potential estrogen and testosterone effects, could provide help for tailored interventions to reduce cognitive risks among diabetic patients

Check our publication here: Sex-related differences in the prevalence of cognitive impairment among overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes

A big thank you to everybody who contributed to this article: Mark A. Espeland, Owen Carmichael, Sevil Yasar, Christina Hugenschmidt, William Hazzard, Kathleen M. Hayden, Stephen R. Rapp, Rebecca Neiberg, Karen C. Johnson, Siobhan Hoscheidt, Michelle M. Mielke, and for the Action for Health in Diabetes (Look AHEAD) Research Group

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We are here to transform medicine and healthcare towards precision medicine. Right now, there is a critical need for your support. Donate today and help us continue to study Sex and Gender differences impacting brain and mental diseases.

Health begins with human beings, individuals – men and women are different when it comes to brain and mental disease frequency, severity, symptomatology, risk factors and even response to treatments. Thanks to the gifts from supporters like you the scientific community is starting to take note. We have shown the world that in diseases like Alzheimer’s for instance, disease progression is faster in women than men and women show different levels of biomarkers.

Our goal is to clearly identify such differences in diseases, diagnostic, and treatments, as well as novel technologies, and leverage them for better solutions. We ask for better clinical outcomes, better care, and innovative artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions. Sex and gender differences are the first steps towards precision medicine, which acknowledges the specific needs of each patient. Our ultimate ambition is the realisation of the Research Institute for Sex and Gender Precision Medicine.