Women's midlife: the front line of Alzheimer prevention - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #Alzheimer's disease
- #Menopause
- #Neuroendocrine aging
- Nearly two-thirds of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients are women, most postmenopausal.
- Sex differences in AD are not solely due to women's longevity but involve female-specific biological factors.
- Neuroendocrine aging and menopause-related hormonal shifts are modifiable AD risk factors in women.
- Underinvestigated factors linked to AD risk include early menopause, oophorectomy, vasomotor symptoms, and midlife cognitive/mood issues.
- Menopause hormone therapy shows potential for AD prevention, especially post-oophorectomy, but lacks sufficient clinical trials.
- The review advocates shifting focus from generalized aging to midlife neuroendocrine aging as a critical prevention window.
- By 2050, over 1.2 billion women will be in or approaching menopause, highlighting the global urgency for AD prevention strategies.
- The call is for sex-specific, time-sensitive, and biologically informed AD prevention approaches.