Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. In 2020 there were more than 55 million people worldwide living with dementia and by 2050 this is expected to reach 139 million worldwide, most of them in developing countries.
Among dementia disorders, Alzheimer’s is believed to be the most common type of dementia and currently around 7.6 million people in India are believed to be affected.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior.
The fact that Alzheimer’s affects older women more than older men is a well-known fact. However, why this is so has been a mystery and scientists have been working to find the reason.
Recently, scientists from the Scripps Research Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States have made a discovery.
According to the study of the post-mortem results of men and women who died of Alzheimer’s, a chemically modified form of an inflammatory immune protein called complement C3 was found in much higher amounts in women than in men. . This C3 protein is known to increase Alzheimer’s.
While studying the biochemical and molecular events underlying neurodegenerative diseases, it was found that C3 is formed in a process called protein S-nitrosylation.
Researchers had previously discovered this chemical reaction, which occurs when a molecule related to nitric oxide (NO) binds tightly to a sulfur (S) atom, in a particular protein block of amino acids to form a “protein SNO” modified. .
Although small protein modifications are common that affect brain function, large-scale modifications are thought to be a key factor in Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders.
The researchers attempted to quantify the modified proteins in 40 post-mortem human brains. Half the brains were from people who had died of Alzheimer’s and half were from people who had not.
In these brains, the scientists found 1,449 different proteins that had been S-nitrosylated.
Interestingly, levels of S-nitrosylate C3 (SNO-C3) were also found to be more than six times higher in female Alzheimer’s brains compared to male Alzheimer’s brains.
Scientists have known for more than 30 years that Alzheimer’s brains have higher levels of complement proteins and other markers of inflammation, compared to neurologically normal brains.
Complement proteins are known to trigger immune cells in the brain called microglia that destroy synapses.
The mechanism of synapse destruction is assumed to be at the heart of the Alzheimer’s disease process.
Because the synapse is the key to messages in the brain, its loss is closely related to cognitive decline in the Alzheimer’s brain.
For women, estrogen was also observed to specifically protect the female brain from C3 S nitrosylation. However, as a woman ages and reaches menopause, there is a drop in estrogen and it is no longer protected from a possible Alzheimer’s attack.
SNO-C3 increases as estrogen levels fall, due to the activation of an enzyme that makes NO in brain cells. This increase in SNO-C3 activates microglial destruction of synapses.
Therefore, women’s vulnerability increases as they age.
Therefore, the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life are slightly higher if you are a woman than a man.
Another explanation for women being more prone to Alzheimer’s as they age was that they lived longer than men and accumulated amyloid plaques (abnormal proteins that form in the spaces between nerve cells in the brain) that they are thought to play a central role in Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid plaques first develop in areas of the brain related to memory and other cognitive functions.
The amyloid plaques that cause Alzheimer’s disease are thought to be part of the brain’s immune system to fight infections. Because women have stronger immune systems than men, they are likely to be more affected by plaques.
Women are almost twice as likely as men to develop Alzheimer’s.
The increased prevalence of Alzheimer’s among women likely arises from a combination of factors, including sex chromosomes, hormones, brain structure and gender, and life experiences.
Interestingly, androgens (ie, male sex hormones, including testosterone) are neuroprotective in late life and may help preserve brain health and function in men, resulting in lower levels of disease.
Alzheimer’s is also affected by social and lifestyle factors, such as education, employment, social activities, diet and exercise.
Women can reduce their risk of Alzheimer’s by focusing on lifestyle factors within their control, such as eating a varied, nutritious, low-glycemic diet. Include foods that contain vitamins C, D, and E, omega-3 fats, and antioxidants.
Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight. sleep well Keep your mind active. Play memory games.
Take care of your health to avoid diseases that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s, such as diabetes, heart disease, traumatic brain injuries (concussions), depression, etc.