Women's Brains Have More Alzheimer's-Causing Proteins Than Men

A study published in JAMA Neurology suggests women's greater susceptibility to Alzheimer's compared to men could be because their brains have more tau and beta amyloid protein concentrations, reports United Press International . "These findings may be important in targeting appropriate prevention therapies for women, ideally preventing the accumulation of both amyloid and tau pathology as early as possible," says Reisa Sperling with Brigham and Women's Hospital. She adds that women exhibit higher levels of tau in neurofibrillary tangles, as estimated via tau positron-emission tomography imaging. This is especially pronounced in women with elevated levels of amyloid, who are at risk for memory loss. The distinction in genders is most apparent in the entorhinal cortex, where tangles accrue as people age and start spreading throughout the cortex as memory impairment manifests itself. "This study may help us personalize treatment for Alzheimer's disease in the future," Sperling concludes. "We may need to target specific disease-modifying treatments at very early stages of the disease to reduce the risk of memory decline."