A new study has found that how our brains age can differ between men and women, and certain substances in the blood might hint at cognitive decline and dementia.
This research involved over 500 people and looked closely at blood markers related to the health of blood vessels. The findings could open doors to earlier detection and treatment of brain diseases.
As people age, various parts of the body, including blood vessels, go through changes. Blood vessels can lose their strength, become less dense, and form irregularly, a process called “aberrant angiogenesis.”
This disordered growth of blood vessels can disrupt the brain’s blood supply, contributing to memory problems and dementia.
The researchers, led by Dr. Abel Torres-Espin from the University of Waterloo, studied the role of these abnormal blood vessel growth patterns. They focused on VEGF, a family of proteins critical for building new blood vessels.
These proteins have different types, such as VEGF-A, VEGF-B, and others, each playing a slightly different role. When VEGF behaves unusually, it might signal issues with blood vessel health that affect the brain.
In the study, researchers found that women’s and men’s brains age differently, partly because of how VEGF and similar markers behave. For example, younger women with healthy VEGF levels showed better brain function and less shrinkage.
However, after age 75, this trend reversed, and these markers became linked to worse outcomes in women compared to men. This suggests that both age and gender are important factors in understanding brain health.
The study also highlighted another critical risk factor: the APOE4 gene. This gene increases the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
In the study, more men (about 34%) carried the APOE4 gene compared to women (around 26%). APOE4 is also associated with higher levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), which can lead to blocked arteries and poor blood flow to the brain.
At the start of the study, most participants (73%) showed no signs of cognitive problems. However, over the six-year study period, this number dropped to 66%. Men were more likely than women to show signs of cognitive decline by the end of the study.
On average, participants were 71 years old when the study began and 77 years old at its conclusion.
The study stands out because it focused on human participants rather than animal models, making the findings directly relevant to people.
The researchers combined brain imaging, clinical data, and blood tests to uncover patterns. They used advanced methods, like machine learning, to analyze these connections, revealing age- and gender-specific trends.
Dr. Torres-Espin emphasized the importance of continuing this kind of research. He believes that understanding how blood vessel health affects the brain could lead to new treatments for dementia.
This study is a step toward identifying early warning signs and creating better interventions to protect brain health as people age.
In summary, this research showed that gender and aging influence how the brain and blood vessels change over time. Markers like VEGF and genetic risks like APOE4 play significant roles in these differences.
By identifying these patterns, scientists hope to develop new ways to detect and treat cognitive decline before it becomes severe.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about how the Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce dementia risk, and Coconut oil could help improve cognitive function in Alzheimer’s.
The research findings can be found in Science Translational Medicine.
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