In a recent paper published in the journal Progress in Neurobiology, a study conducted by a group of researchers of the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology of the National Research Council proposes a new perspective to explain women’s higher vulnerability to developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Previous studies found that menopause, which reduces estrogen levels in a women’s body, may be the reason more women are affected than men. In the published study, researchers worked to better understand the reasons that determine the greater diffusion of AD in women. They revisited many of the major findings and explored a novel hypothesis on the use of the hippocampus, the brain structure responsible for the formation of long-term memory and spatial orientation, and which is a region affected by AD. They reported that estrogens tend to disadvantage the use of the hippocampus in women, which in turn makes them more vulnerable to the effects of ageing. In addition, authors proposed the use of behavioural treatments, which specifically train the brain network and favour the use of the hippocampus.
