Which of the following statements regarding Alzheimer’s disease and gender are true?
ExplanationAlzheimer’s disease (AD) affects women twice as commonly as men. This sex difference cannot fully be explained by the difference in life expectancy between men and women. The brains of women differ from men in terms of size, structure, and functional organization. In addition, it is thought that estrogen may play a role in the development of AD. Women with AD have lower levels of circulating estrogen than age-controlled women without disease. Although observational studies suggested a protective effect of estrogen replacement therapy on the development of AD, this was not borne out in randomized and blinded placebo-controlled trials. Indeed, the largest trial to date demonstrated an increase in dementia and mild cognitive impairment in individuals receiving either estrogen or combined hormone replacement therapy
