Gender diff erences in cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease

1. Centro Regionale per lo studio e la cura dell’Invecchiamento Cerebrale (CRIC), Dipartimento di Medicina, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Padova, Padua, Italy. Invited paper received on 24 June 2015. Summary. Sex and gender impact on human brain biology throughout individual lifetime, infl uencing male and female cognition in a diff erential mode. Women are exposed to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and AD prevalence is higher in females, particularly among older age groups. The negative eff ect of APOE ε4 allele and lower education may explain at least part of the gender disproportion. However, the biological modifi cations underlying these observations remain poorly understood. Menopause is associated with increased AD risk and a well-timed hormonal replacement therapy might be considered, especially in young women undergoing bilateral oophorectomy. In addition, cardiovascular risk factors such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension show an increasing prevalence in the female sex and play a signifi cant role in AD risk. Taking into account the sex/ gender issue in neurocognitive research, it is critical to set eff ective strategies against AD.