Women may be more prone to developing Alzheimer's disease because of differences in immune function, cellular metabolism and communication between brain cells, according to Cleveland Clinic researchers.
The differences across these three areas is what researchers in the study attributed to more changes in the immune cells in the brain of women than in men.
For the study, which was published Nov. 27 in Alzheimer's & Dementia, researchers analyzed data and brain samples of 469 patients with Alzheimer's and looked for specific changes in gene expression between males and females.
"At its core, Alzheimer's disease is a woman's health issue. To address it, we must understand how biological sex contributes to the underpinnings of this disease," said study co-author Jessica Caldwell, PhD, director of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement Prevention Center at Cleveland Clinic. "These findings confirm that we need to look at sex differences in the way the body and brain systems communicate to be able to truly offer women personalized care, and we look forward to continuing this research."