Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Language

English

Publication Date

1-1-2025

Journal

Alzheimer's & Dementia

DOI

10.1002/alz.14343

PMID

39711105

PMCID

PMC11781133

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

12-22-2024

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

Introduction: The effects of sex and apolipoprotein E (APOE)-Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk factors-on white matter microstructure are not well characterized.

Methods: Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data from nine well-established longitudinal cohorts of aging were free water (FW)-corrected and harmonized. This dataset included 4741 participants (age = 73.06 ± 9.75) with 9671 imaging sessions over time. FW and FW-corrected fractional anisotropy (FAFWcorr) were used to assess differences in white matter microstructure by sex and APOE ε4 carrier status.

Results: Sex differences in FAFWcorr in projection tracts and APOE ε4 differences in FW limbic and occipital transcallosal tracts were most pronounced.

Discussion: There are prominent differences in white matter microstructure by sex and APOE ε4 carrier status. This work adds to our understanding of disparities in AD. Additional work to understand the etiology of these differences is warranted.

Highlights: Sex and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 carrier status relate to white matter microstructural integrity. Females generally have lower free water-corrected fractional anisotropy compared to males. APOE ε4 carriers tended to have higher free water than non-carriers.

Keywords

Humans, Alzheimer Disease, Female, Male, White Matter, Aged, Apolipoprotein E4, Longitudinal Studies, Aging, Alleles, Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Sex Characteristics, Aged, 80 and over, Cohort Studies, Anisotropy, Brain, aging, Alzheimer's disease, sex differences, white matter disease

Published Open-Access

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