Sexual dimorphism in predisposition to Alzheimer's disease.

ABSTRACT: Clinical studies indicate that Alzheimer's disease (AD) disproportionately affects women in both disease prevalence and rate of symptom progression, but the mechanisms underlying this sexual divergence are unknown. Although some have suggested this difference in risk is a reflection of the known differences in longevity between men and women, mounting clinical and preclinical evidence supports women also having intrinsic susceptibilities toward the disease. Although a number of potential risk factors have been hypothesized to mediate these differences, none have been definitively verified. In this review, we first summarize the epidemiologic studies of prevalence and incidence of AD among the sexes. Next, we discuss the most likely risk factors to date that interact with biological sex, in

SUBMITTER: Fisher DW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6368179 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature