Women are more prone than men to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, due to the drop in estrogen levels at menopause, according to new research recently published in the Journal of Neurology.
Thyroid diseases, the absence of hormone replacement therapy and hysterectomy are other factors that could favor the onset of Alzheimer’s disease in women. Almost two-thirds of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are female.
Initially, the increased number of cases among women was attributed to longer life expectancy, but new research reveals other factors that could contribute to the onset of this neurodegenerative disease.
Among these risk factors are depression, stroke, gestational diabetes, thyroid diseases, smoking, unbalanced diet, etc.
Factors that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s in women
The new study included 121 subjects between the ages of 40 and 65 (70% of them being female), who had at least a high school education.
All study participants were evaluated from a neurological point of view: their memory, attention and language function were tested.
Also, subjects provided information related to family and personal medical history, as well as lifestyle, such as parental diseases, abdominal obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, diet, level of movement and intellectual activity.
At the same time, the scientists noted information regarding the history of thyroid diseases or depression, menopausal status (premenopause, menopause, postmenopause) and specific symptoms: hot flashes, mood disorders, insomnia, decreased libido, cognitive problems and changes in appetite.
The scientists also measured the levels of certain biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Thus, they discovered that decrease in estrogen levelsespecially at menopause, is a major risk factor in the onset of the disease, because changes occur in the chemical structure of the brain.
Hysteroscopy, thyroid diseases and the absence of hormone replacement therapy are also possible causes of these changes occurring at the level of biomarkers specific to this neurodegenerative disease.
The researchers claim that the results of this study show only the tip of the iceberg and it is necessary to discover the mechanism by which the level of estrogen influences the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
2023-09-02 12:05:47
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