Scientists from the University of Washington say stress may be one reason women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease than men. The results of the work of scientists, published In the brain magazine.
Women are about twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. This is partly due to age: women generally live five to six years longer than men, and advanced age is the strongest risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease. But scientists are sure there are other factors that explain this difference.
The team conducted the study using a mouse model. They wanted to compare the differences in dementia risk factors in female and male rodents.
Stress is associated with the release of the hormone cortisol, which is associated with an increase in the amount of beta-amyloid in the brain in women. Beta-amyloid is a peptide (short piece of protein) that accumulates in the brain in the form of so-called amyloid plaques. It accumulates between neurons and has a toxic effect on them. This leads to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
In men, stress did not have a similar effect on the brain. According to the authors, reducing stress may be more beneficial for women than men in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Further experiments showed that the difference was due to the cellular stress response pathway in the brain. The neurons of female rodents release the stress hormone, triggering a cascade of events that lead to increased levels of beta-amyloid in the brain. In contrast, male rodent neurons lack the ability to produce the stress hormone.