One possible reason why women are more prone to Alzheimer’s disease may be that they have more deposits of tau proteins in their brains, research suggests.
Cleveland: In a new study, scientists have discovered why women are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than men.
According to researchers at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio, the new study found clues in the brain tissue of mice and humans that could explain this difference.
The study found more X-linked enzymes called ubiquitin-specific peptidase 11 (USP11) in women’s brains than men’s brains, which cause a protein called tau to accumulate in large amounts. These proteins are associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
X-linked refers to traits that are affected by genes on the X chromosomes. Females have two X chromosomes while males have one X and one Y chromosome.
Study co-author David Kang said the study sets the stage for identifying other X-linked factors that may increase the risk of tauopathy in women.
Tauopathies are neurological diseases caused by the accumulation of abnormal tau proteins.
David King said in a news release that USP11 is an enzyme and the enzyme can be inhibited with medication. Our goal is to develop a drug that works in this way to protect women from the high risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
One possible reason why women are more prone to Alzheimer’s disease may be that they have higher deposits of tau proteins in their brains.
