TY - JOUR
T1 - Sex Differences in Cognitive Decline among US Adults
AU - Levine, Deborah A.
AU - Gross, Alden L.
AU - Briceño, Emily M.
AU - Tilton, Nicholas
AU - Giordani, Bruno J.
AU - Sussman, Jeremy B.
AU - Hayward, Rodney A.
AU - Burke, James F.
AU - Hingtgen, Stephanie
AU - Elkind, Mitchell S.V.
AU - Manly, Jennifer J.
AU - Gottesman, Rebecca F.
AU - Gaskin, Darrell J.
AU - Sidney, Stephen
AU - Sacco, Ralph L.
AU - Tom, Sarah E.
AU - Wright, Clinton B.
AU - Yaffe, Kristine
AU - Galecki, Andrzej T.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Georg Thieme Verlag. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/2/25
Y1 - 2021/2/25
N2 - Importance: Sex differences in dementia risk are unclear, but some studies have found greater risk for women. Objective: To determine associations between sex and cognitive decline in order to better understand sex differences in dementia risk. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used pooled analysis of individual participant data from 5 cohort studies for years 1971 to 2017: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study, Cardiovascular Health Study, Framingham Offspring Study, and Northern Manhattan Study. Linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate changes in each continuous cognitive outcome over time by sex. Data analysis was completed from March 2019 to October 2020. Exposure: Sex. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was change in global cognition. Secondary outcomes were change in memory and executive function. Outcomes were standardized as t scores (mean [SD], 50 [10]); a 1-point difference represents a 0.1-SD difference in cognition. Results: Among 34349 participants, 26088 who self-reported Black or White race, were free of stroke and dementia, and had covariate data at or before the first cognitive assessment were included for analysis. Median (interquartile range) follow-up was 7.9 (5.3-20.5) years. There were 11775 (44.7%) men (median [interquartile range] age, 58 [51-66] years at first cognitive assessment; 2229 [18.9%] Black) and 14313 women (median [interquartile range] age, 58 [51-67] years at first cognitive assessment; 3636 [25.4%] Black). Women had significantly higher baseline performance than men in global cognition (2.20 points higher; 95% CI, 2.04 to 2.35 points; P <.001), executive function (2.13 points higher; 95% CI, 1.98 to 2.29 points; P <.001), and memory (1.89 points higher; 95% CI, 1.72 to 2.06 points; P <.001). Compared with men, women had significantly faster declines in global cognition (-0.07 points/y faster; 95% CI, -0.08 to -0.05 points/y; P <.001) and executive function (-0.06 points/y faster; 95% CI, -0.07 to -0.05 points/y; P <.001). Men and women had similar declines in memory (-0.004 points/y faster; 95% CI, -0.023 to 0.014; P =.61). Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this cohort study suggest that women may have greater cognitive reserve but faster cognitive decline than men, which could contribute to sex differences in late-life dementia..
AB - Importance: Sex differences in dementia risk are unclear, but some studies have found greater risk for women. Objective: To determine associations between sex and cognitive decline in order to better understand sex differences in dementia risk. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used pooled analysis of individual participant data from 5 cohort studies for years 1971 to 2017: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study, Cardiovascular Health Study, Framingham Offspring Study, and Northern Manhattan Study. Linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate changes in each continuous cognitive outcome over time by sex. Data analysis was completed from March 2019 to October 2020. Exposure: Sex. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was change in global cognition. Secondary outcomes were change in memory and executive function. Outcomes were standardized as t scores (mean [SD], 50 [10]); a 1-point difference represents a 0.1-SD difference in cognition. Results: Among 34349 participants, 26088 who self-reported Black or White race, were free of stroke and dementia, and had covariate data at or before the first cognitive assessment were included for analysis. Median (interquartile range) follow-up was 7.9 (5.3-20.5) years. There were 11775 (44.7%) men (median [interquartile range] age, 58 [51-66] years at first cognitive assessment; 2229 [18.9%] Black) and 14313 women (median [interquartile range] age, 58 [51-67] years at first cognitive assessment; 3636 [25.4%] Black). Women had significantly higher baseline performance than men in global cognition (2.20 points higher; 95% CI, 2.04 to 2.35 points; P <.001), executive function (2.13 points higher; 95% CI, 1.98 to 2.29 points; P <.001), and memory (1.89 points higher; 95% CI, 1.72 to 2.06 points; P <.001). Compared with men, women had significantly faster declines in global cognition (-0.07 points/y faster; 95% CI, -0.08 to -0.05 points/y; P <.001) and executive function (-0.06 points/y faster; 95% CI, -0.07 to -0.05 points/y; P <.001). Men and women had similar declines in memory (-0.004 points/y faster; 95% CI, -0.023 to 0.014; P =.61). Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this cohort study suggest that women may have greater cognitive reserve but faster cognitive decline than men, which could contribute to sex differences in late-life dementia..
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U2 - 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.0169
DO - 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.0169
M3 - Article
C2 - 33630089
AN - SCOPUS:85102097534
SN - 2574-3805
VL - 4
JO - JAMA Network Open
JF - JAMA Network Open
IS - 2
M1 - e210169
ER -