Gender Differences in Age-Related Striatal Dopamine Depletion in Parkinson's Disease.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Gender differences are a well-known clinical characteristic of Parkinson's disease (PD). In-vivo imaging studies demonstrated that women have greater striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) activity than do men, both in the normal population and in PD patients. We hypothesize that women exhibit more rapid aging-related striatal DAT reduction than do men, as the potential neuroprotective effect of estrogen wanes with age.

Methods

This study included 307 de novo PD patients (152 men and 155 women) who underwent DAT scans for an initial diagnostic work-up. Gender differences in age-related DAT decline were assessed in striatal sub-regions using linear regression analysis.

Results

Female patients exhibited greater DAT activity compared with male patients in all stri

SUBMITTER: Lee JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4572663 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature