Link Between Global β-Amyloid, Tau Deposition Varies by Sex

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 14, 2025.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, April 14, 2025 -- Women and individuals with a paternal history of Alzheimer disease (AD) have a stronger association between global β-amyloid (Aβ) and tau deposition, according to a study published online April 9 in Neurology.

Valentin Ourry, Ph.D., from McGill University in Montreal, and colleagues examined whether sex or affected AD parent's sex influence Aβ and tau burden/accumulation in a sample of 243 participants from the Presymptomatic Evaluation of Experimental or Novel Treatments for AD cohort in Canada.

All participants were cognitively unimpaired at baseline. Longitudinal cognitive data were available for 242 participants (follow-up, 6.72 ± 2.38 years). Seventy-one participants developed mild cognitive impairment. The researchers found greater tau deposition in women (standardized β, 0.13 ± 0.3); the association between global Aβ and tau deposition was stronger for women than men (standardized β = 0.79 ± 0.1). A stronger association between global Aβ and tau deposition was seen for individuals with an affected AD father versus those with an affected AD mother (standardized β = 0.65 ± 0.1). Less Aβ-associated hippocampal atrophy was seen over time for women (standardized β = 0.24 ± 0.1).

"Women and, surprisingly, individuals with an affected AD father, seem to be more vulnerable to the spread of Aβ-related tau outside the medial temporal lobe," the authors write. "Despite this vulnerability to tau pathology, the association between Aβ and hippocampal atrophy was reduced in women, which could reflect some cause of brain resilience or the fact that Aβ is a less important driver of atrophy in women."

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2025-04-15 00:00

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords