Gender, concurrent estrogen use and cognition in Alzheimer's disease
We analyzed baseline data from 444 Alzheimer's disease (AD) subjects selected for a multicenter clinical trial to determine whether there are gender differences in cognitive measures in AD, and whether concurrent estrogen use in women with AD is associated with superior cognitive function. The 270 women were further classified into those taking concurrent estrogen preparations and those who were not. Cognitive impairment was measured by the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS-Cog), a standard instrument used in AD clinical trials. ADAS-Cog total scores in women were statistically significantly worse than those in men, after controlling for age and education. Women not using estrogen therapies were older and less educated. After controlling for age and education, ADAS-Cog total scores of women not using estrogen were significantly worse than those of women using estrogen or those of men. Our findings confirm prior reports that AD women are more impaired in specific cognitive domains than men, and that concurrent estrogen use in AD women is associated with higher levels of cognitive function. Prospective studies of the neuroprotective effects of estrogen are warranted.
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Published In
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Related Subject Headings
- Psychiatry