2023 Sex and Gender in Alzheimer’s (SAGA) Grant (SAGA)
Sex difference in cognitive impairment in a novel humanized AD model
Do sleep and sex hormones contribute to Alzheimer’s development in women?
Ferenc Deak, Ph.D.
Augusta University
Augusta, GA - United States
Background
According to the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association Facts & Figures report, of the more than 6.5 million Americans with Alzheimer’s, nearly two-thirds are women. However, the reasons underlying these sex differences in Alzheimer’s remain unclear. Some research suggests that chronic sleep deprivation, as well as sex hormone changes that occur during pregnancy and menopause, may impact cognition and the development of Alzheimer’s in women. However, the mechanisms by which these factors are linked to Alzheimer’s are unknown.
For their studies, Dr. Ferenc Deak and colleagues have developed new genetically engineered Alzheimer’s-like mice to study the mechanisms linking sleep deprivation and sex hormone changes to Alzheimer’s development in women.
Research Plan
Dr. Deak and the team will first measure the impact of sleep deprivation on cognitive impairment in young and older female genetically engineered Alzheimer’s-like mice. They will measure changes in amyloid plaques, one of the hallmark brain changes in Alzheimer’s, and examine which genes are linked to cognitive impairment between the young and old mice. Next, to study the role of sex hormones in Alzheimer’s development, the team will measure the differences in cognitive impairment between female genetically engineered Alzheimer’s-like mice that have given birth compared to those that have never been pregnant.
Impact
The results of this study may help understand the biological mechanisms that put women at a higher risk for developing cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s.