Gender differences in risk factors for transition from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease: A CREDOS study

Influence of cerebral white matter hyperintensities on cognitive impairment in elderly medical patients

“…That the present study showed an association between PVH and higher GDS scores does not refute the vascular depression hypothesis, but indicates that the relationship between markers of cerebrovascular disease and depressive symptoms are indirect and mediated by poorer cognitive ability. Regarding female‐predominant brain atrophy, we concur that in older women, clinically significant depressive symptoms are a significant risk factor for probable AD …”

“…Furthermore, PVH could play an independent role in the pathogenesis of AD and VaD . This might be partially attributed to periventricular white matter having a high density of long association fibers and cholinergic fibers that are critical to cognition . Risk factors for the conversion of mild cognitive impairment to AD have been reported to include severe PVH in addition to low education and low baseline MMSE scores …”

“…16 This might be partially attributed to periventricular white matter having a high density of long association fibers and cholinergic fibers that are critical to cognition. 15,17 Risk factors for the conversion of mild cognitive impairment to AD have been reported to include severe PVH in addition to low education and low baseline MMSE scores. 18 To date, several studies have reported correlations between WHM measured using the Scheltens scale at various brain regions, and dementia 19 and depression.…”

“…Regarding female-predominant brain atrophy, we concur that in older women, clinically significant depressive symptoms are a significant risk factor for probable AD. 17 Vascular risk factors, especially hypertension, are the most significant factors related to the prevalence and severity of WMH, particularly DWMH. 2,29 Such relationships were not found in the present study, possibly resulting from the different WMH scale used here; most other studies used the Fazekas scale.…”

Sex differences in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias

“…7 Women and men also have different clinical presentations, in that men show more aggressive behaviours, more comorbidity, and higher mortality than women; women tend to have more affective symptoms and disability but longer survival times. 8 These presentations might indicate different neuropathologies and certainly necessitate different management strategies to serve men and women with dementia.…”