Chinese experts reveal the secret that women are more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the diseases that seriously threaten the health of the elderly worldwide. The data shows that the prevalence rate of the disease in women is higher than that in men. Recently, Professor Lu Jie's team from Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University found that women carrying a specific apolipoprotein (APOE ε 4) allele can lead to increased aggregation of specific proteins (tau proteins) in the brain, thus making them more prone to disease; When men carry two specific alleles, specific protein aggregation in the brain will increase significantly. This is why women are more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's disease.
It is reported that a certain apolipoprotein (APOE ε 4) is known to be the greatest risk gene for Alzheimer's disease, and its abnormal aggregation of specific protein (tau protein) is one of the characteristic pathological changes of the disease. This research is just to explore whether there is gender difference in specific protein aggregation in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients with different amounts of specific alleles, and then reveal the reasons for gender differences in the disease.
Lu Jie said that women accounted for about two-thirds of patients with Alzheimer's disease, and the gender difference in the prevalence rate has been paid more and more attention. This study, to some extent, explains the reason for the high prevalence rate of women with Alzheimer's disease, and is of great significance for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Based on the research results, it is necessary to focus on the female carriers of the above specific alleles in clinical practice and consider specific treatment for them to achieve the purpose of early prevention.
It is reported that 268 patients with cognitive impairment were included in the study, providing imaging evidence that the incidence of Alzheimer's disease in women is higher than in men. Its research results were published online in the international top journal of neurology, BRAIN, in April 2021.
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, May 4, by wire (reporter Xia Ke)
