Sex, Amyloid, and APOE ε4 and Risk of Cognitive Decline in Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease: Findings from Three Well-characterized Cohorts

Overview

Journal Alzheimers Dement

Specialties Neurology
Psychiatry

Date 2018 May 28

PMID 29803541

Citations 125

Authors

Rachel F Buckley

Elizabeth C Mormino

Rebecca E Amariglio

Michael J Properzi

Jennifer S Rabin

Yen Ying Lim

Kathryn V Papp

Heidi I L Jacobs

Samantha Burnham

Bernard J Hanseeuw

Vincent Dore

Annette Dobson

Colin L Masters

Michael Waller

Christopher C Rowe

Paul Maruff

Michael C Donohue

Dorene M Rentz

Dylan Kirn

Trey Hedden

Jasmeer Chhatwal

Aaron P Schultz

Keith A Johnson

Victor L Villemagne

Reisa A Sperling

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Our objective was to investigate the effect of sex on cognitive decline within the context of amyloid β (Aβ) burden and apolipoprotein E genotype.

Methods: We analyzed sex-specific effects on Aβ-positron emission tomography, apolipoprotein, and rates of change on the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite-5 across three cohorts, such as the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle, and Harvard Aging Brain Study (n = 755; clinical dementia rating = 0; age (standard deviation) = 73.6 (6.5); female = 55%). Mixed-effects models of cognitive change by sex, Aβ-positron emission tomography, and apolipoprotein ε4 were examined with quadratic time effects over a median of 4 years of follow-up.

Results: Apolipoprotein ε4 prevalence and Aβ burden did not differ by sex. Sex did not directly influence cognitive decline. Females with higher Aβ exhibited faster decline than males. Post hoc contrasts suggested that females who were Aβ and apolipoprotein ε4 positive declined faster than their male counterparts.

Discussion: Although Aβ did not differ by sex, cognitive decline was greater in females with higher Aβ. Our findings suggest that sex may play a modifying role on risk of Alzheimer's disease-related cognitive decline.

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