Women with Down Syndrome More Vulnerable to Alzheimer's Than Men: Study Finds - Video
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Overview
Women with Down syndrome may experience more severe progression of Alzheimer's disease than men, even though both sexes are typically diagnosed at the same age. According to a recent study by researchers at the University of California, Irvine, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, women appear to carry a higher burden of two hallmark Alzheimer’s-related proteins — beta amyloid and phosphorylated tau — compared to men.
The findings suggest a need for sex-specific approaches to both Alzheimer's research and treatment strategies, especially in the context of designing clinical trials.
While prior research has indicated that women with Down syndrome may live longer with dementia than men, few studies have focused on potential sex differences in brain pathology.
To explore this further, researchers examined postmortem brain samples from individuals with Down syndrome, measuring the accumulation of beta amyloid and tau proteins. They found significantly higher levels of these proteins in women, particularly in the occipital lobe — a region also notably affected in sporadic, late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
The study’s findings may have broad implications for how clinicians time interventions and interpret results in trials involving patients with Down syndrome. “If women with Down syndrome are further along in disease progression at the time of diagnosis, it could change how we time interventions and interpret outcomes in clinical trials,” said Elizabeth Head, Professor of Pathology at UC Irvine.
Ultimately, this research could inform more targeted and effective therapeutic strategies not only for individuals with Down syndrome but also for the wider Alzheimer's population.
Reference: Andrews EJ, Ngo PT, Pascual JR, Gonzalez F, Phelan M, Wright ST, Harp J, Schmitt F, Lai F, Lao PJ, Brickman AM, Kofler J, Ikonomovic MD, Head E; ABC‐DS Consortium. Age and sex are associated with Alzheimer's disease neuropathology in Down syndrome. Alzheimers Dement. 2025 Jul;21(7):e70408. doi: 10.1002/alz.70408. PMID: 40673442; PMCID: PMC12268376.
Speakers
Dr Bhumika Maikhuri is an orthodontist with 2 years of clinical experience. She is also working as a medical writer and anchor at Medical Dialogues. She has completed her BDS from Dr D.Y. Patil Medical College and Hospital and MDS from Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences. She has a few publications and patents to her credit. Her diverse background in clinical dentistry and academic research uniquely positions her to contribute meaningfully to our team.