Introduction and Background
Introduction
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for up to 80% of all dementia cases (Rayathala et al., 2022). While Alzheimer's disease affects both men and women, research has shown that women are disproportionately affected by the disease (Rabipour et al., 2021). Women have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than men, and they also tend to experience more rapid cognitive decline once they develop the disease (Duarte-Guterman et al., 2021).
Background
The challenges of making an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease have been documented (Pais et al., 2020). However, why these challenges exist is not particularly well understood (Dubois et al., 2021). Early diagnosis is crucial because it allows for early intervention and treatment, which can slow the progression of the disease and improve quality of life for patients and their families (Rasmussen & Langerman, 2019). However, making an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease can be particularly challenging for women (Ferretti et al., 2020).
It is unclear why early diagnosis of Alzheimers for women is challenging for physicians, but a challenge it certainly is (Dubois et al., 2021). Researchers have, however, presented different theories as to why this challenge exists, including atypical presentation, delayed presentation, bias in research, and differences in brain structure and function (Duara & Barker, 2022; Lopez et al., 2020).
Duara and Barker (2022) argue that women may present with atypical symptoms that are not always recognized as being related to Alzheimer's disease. For example, women may be more likely to experience mood changes, anxiety, and sleep disturbances than men, which could be mistaken for other conditions. Or, women may be more likely to delay seeking medical attention for cognitive symptoms or may not report them at all due to social stigma or shame. This can delay the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (Lopez et al., 2020). Also, historically, Alzheimer's disease research has been biased towards studying men, leading to a lack of understanding of how the disease manifests in women (Ferretti et al., 2020). This can result in misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of Alzheimer's in women. Finally, studies have shown that women's brains may be more resilient to the effects of Alzheimer's disease, making it harder to detect the disease in its early stages (Veitch et al., 2022). Plus, women may have a higher burden of certain types of Alzheimer's-related brain changes, such as tau tangles, which can be harder to detect with current diagnostic tools (Veitch et al., 2022).
Relevance and Importance
The...
…sheds light on broader issues related to health disparities and gender bias in medicine (Lopez et al., 2020). It highlights the need for more research and attention to be paid to how diseases present differently in different populations, and the need for more inclusive research practices that account for diversity and inclusivity in medical research.Prior Research
Prior research has shown that women are more likely than men to develop Alzheimer's disease, and that they experience more rapid cognitive decline once they develop the disease (Duarte-Guterman et al., 2021). Some studies have also suggested that women may be more sensitive to the effects of Alzheimer's disease pathology in the brain (Duara & Barker, 2022; Lopez et al., 2020). However, research on the challenges of making an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in women is limited (Dubois et al., 2021).
The challenges of making an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in women are significant and multifaceted. There is a need for more research to understand the specific challenges that women face in receiving an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, and to develop effective strategies for addressing these challenges. This study seeks to address this need by exploring the challenges of making an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in women, and through that exploration making inroads into…
References
Duara, R., & Barker, W. (2022). Heterogeneity in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and progressionrates: Implications for therapeutic trials. Neurotherapeutics, 19(1), 8-25.
Duarte-Guterman, P., Albert, A. Y., Barha, C. K., Galea, L. A., & Alzheimer’s DiseaseNeuroimaging Initiative. (2021). Sex influences the effects of APOE genotype and Alzheimer’s diagnosis on neuropathology and memory. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 129, 105248.
Dubois, B., Villain, N., Frisoni, G. B., Rabinovici, G. D., Sabbagh, M., Cappa, S., ... & Feldman,H. H. (2021). Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease: recommendations of the International Working Group. The Lancet Neurology, 20(6), 484-496.
Ferretti, M. T., Martinkova, J., Biskup, E., Benke, T., Gialdini, G., Nedelska, Z., ... & Schmidt,R. (2020). Sex and gender differences in Alzheimer’s disease: current challenges and implications for clinical practice: Position paper of the Dementia and Cognitive Disorders Panel of the European Academy of Neurology. European journal of neurology, 27(6), 928-943.
Lopez, R. P., Rose, K. M., Kenney, L., Sanborn, V., & Davis, J. D. (2020). Managing shame: Agrounded theory of how stigma manifests in families living with dementia. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 26(2), 181-188.
Pais, M., Martinez, L., Ribeiro, O., Loureiro, J., Fernandez, R., Valiengo, L., ... & Forlenza, O.
V. (2020). Early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: new definitions and challenges. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 42, 431-441.
Rabipour, S., Rajagopal, S., Pasvanis, S., Rajah, M. N., & PREVENT-AD Research Group.
(2021). Generalization of memory-related brain function in asymptomatic older women with a family history of late onset Alzheimer's Disease: Results from the PREVENT-AD Cohort. Neurobiology of Aging, 104, 42-56.
Rasmussen, J., & Langerman, H. (2019). Alzheimer’s disease–why we need earlydiagnosis. Degenerative neurological and neuromuscular disease, 123-130.
Rayathala, J., Kumar, K., & Venkatesh, P. (2022). Review on Alzheimer’s disease: Past, presentand future. Journal of Innovations in Applied Pharmaceutical Science (JIAPS), 28-31.
Veitch, D. P., Weiner, M. W., Aisen, P. S., Beckett, L. A., DeCarli, C., Green, R. C., ... &Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. (2022). Using the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative to improve early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 18(4), 824-857.
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