Growing evidence suggests women may be at increased risk of certain physiological changes associated with Alzheimer disease (AD). This study examined nearly 300 clinically normal adults (average age 74) for deposits in the brain of the protein tau, a marker of AD, as measured by positron emission tomography.
Women showed more tau in a region of the brain than men, which was associated with individuals with greater amounts of plaque deposits of the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), another marker of AD. These findings support other studies in identifying potential reasons for differences in risk for AD between men and women. The study population may limit the generalizability of these results.
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