Women are at greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease
3 minutes read
A Cleveland Clinic specialist says women generally live longer than men, and age is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
Thursday 19 September 2024, Cleveland. – Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that commonly affects people over 60.
That is why, to mark World Alzheimer’s Day, Dr. Tarannum Khan, a neurologist at Cleveland Clinic, talks about the disease, which mostly affects women.
Khan explains that “Alzheimer’s disease is more common in women than in men. This may be partly because women generally live longer than men, and age is a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease”.
The first symptoms appear around the age of 60 or older. However, the doctor explains that there are cases of early-onset Alzheimer’s that can occur in people in their 40s or 50s.
Some evidence suggests that the risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s are the same as those that increase the likelihood of heart disease, including lack of exercise, smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can therefore help reduce the risk, Khan explains.
As for the cause of Alzheimer’s, the doctor says it is still not known exactly, adding that “it is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect the brain over time. Specifically, Alzheimer’s disease is characterised by a build-up of proteins in the brain, which form plaques and tangles that disrupt cell function”.
Although there is no cure, there are treatments that can help control symptoms and improve patients’ quality of life. These include medicines that reduce memory loss and control behavioural changes, as well as supportive therapies such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.
She adds that “in people with advanced Alzheimer’s, certain nerve cells are much less active. This means brain signals take longer to be sent. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors increase levels of acetylcholine, a substance in the brain that helps nerve cells communicate with each other”.
One recent scientific advance is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a new drug called “aducanumab”, the first approved drug that slows cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
The specialist explains that “aducanumab” reduces the amount of harmful beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, which are thought to be one of the main causes of Alzheimer’s disease. She warns that “while this drug may slow the progression of symptoms, it is not a cure. However, it represents an important advance in our ability to fight this disease”.
As for the drug “Lecanemab”, Dr. Khan says it gradually removes the abnormal build-up of the beta-amyloid protein, which is linked to plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and may cause it.
In the early symptomatic stages of the disease, removing the “amyloid” protein appears to slow the progression of symptoms; however, she stresses that “lecanemab” neither stops nor fully reverses Alzheimer’s.
About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical centre that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based on the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 77,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,658 salaried physicians and researchers, and 19,000 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,699-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, more than 275 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; southeast Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2022, there were 12.8 million outpatient encounters, 303,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 270,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries.