Dissecting Sex-Related Cognition between Alzheimer's Disease and Diabetes: From Molecular Mechanisms to Potential Therapeutic Strategies

Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2021 Mar 5:2021:4572471. doi: 10.1155/2021/4572471. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

The brain is a sexually dimorphic organ that implies different functions and structures depending on sex. Current pharmacological approaches against different neurological diseases act distinctly in male and female brains. In all neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), sex-related outcomes regarding pathogenesis, prevalence, and response to treatments indicate that sex differences are important for precise diagnosis and therapeutic strategy. Pathogenesis of AD includes vascular dementia, and in most cases, this is accompanied by metabolic complications with similar features as those assembled in diabetes. This review discusses how AD-associated dementia and diabetes affect cognition in relation to sex difference, as both diseases share similar pathological mechanisms. We highlight potential protective strategies to mitigate amyloid-beta (Aβ) pathogenesis, emphasizing how these drugs act in the male and female brains.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / genetics
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology*
  • Alzheimer Disease / therapy*
  • Animals
  • Cognition*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / genetics
  • Diabetes Mellitus / pathology
  • Diabetes Mellitus / physiopathology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / therapy*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Characteristics*