Women with Down syndrome at high risk of Alzheimer’s disease: Study

Women with Down syndrome have more advanced signs of Alzheimer’s disease than men do, according to research.
However, the average age of Down syndrome diagnosis is the same for both men and women, said the University of California, Irvine.
The study suggests that women with Down syndrome may carry a higher burden of beta amyloid and phosphorylated tau — two hallmark Alzheimer’s proteins — than men. It was particularly high in the occipital lobe in women with sporadic Alzheimer’s disease — the more common, late-onset form of Alzheimer’s that occurs without a clear genetic cause.
This insight points to the need for more sex-specific approaches in both Alzheimer’s research and treatment planning, especially in the design of clinical trials.”Understanding selective vulnerabilities within the brain and how these differ in women versus men will help us to better navigate treatment outcomes.
In this study, the researchers examined postmortem brain samples and measured levels of beta amyloid and tau.
The findings, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, can shape how we understand and approach treatments for Alzheimer’s in this population and beyond.