Women are twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s as men. But, why? It’s not because women live longer, though aging does affect our immune systems and, as a consequence, our mental faculties. Alvin Powell reports for The Harvard Gazette.
The answer to why women are twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s appears to lie with double X chromosomes and menopause. The X chromosome contains genes that are different from the Y chromosome, which could explain the increased risk of Alzheimer’s in women. Men have an X and Y chromosome; women have two X chromosomes.
Also, women lose estrogen and progesterone during menopause, which differentiates them from men. Estrogen affects the brain. And, neurological processes in women are simply different from men.
As a result of these differences, it’s likely the case that women are more likely to get migraines and multiple sclerosis than men. And, men are more likely to get Parkinson’s disease and brain tumors.
X chromosomes have a lot more genes than Y chromosomes. Though one of women’s two X chromosomes is “silenced.” Still, the silenced chromosome can have some active genes.
And, X chromosome genes are connected to our immune systems, as well as our cognition, brain structure regulation, and Alzheimer’s.
Hormones are also different for women and men. We all have estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. But, men have more testosterone and women more estrogen and progesterone. During menopause, women lose estrogen and progesterone.
There’s plenty more to learn about the consequences of these differences between men and women.
NB: The latest research shows that women who do hormone replacement therapy are more likely to see their cognition deteriorate.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- Exercise helps people with Alzheimer’s
- What are the signs of dementia?
- Six warning signs of dementia
- What’s a dementia directive?
- Consume olive oil, stave off dementia
