Linking Reproductive Factors to Dementia Risks in Men and Women
The Intersection of Reproduction and Cognitive Health
Dementia and cognitive decline vary between sexes, but the role of specific reproductive factors in this divergence remains understudied. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to clarify how certain reproductive events in men's and women's lives correlate with dementia risks. It meticulously gathers data from various studies to map out these associations over a lifetime.
Critical Insights from Extensive Research
The research analyzed 94 studies, encompassing nearly 14 million participants. Key findings include that seven female-specific factors like late menarche and early menopause, and two male-specific factors, notably androgen deprivation therapy, are linked to increased dementia risks. These results highlight the nuanced ways gender-specific reproductive experiences can influence cognitive health later in life.
Implications for Future Health Strategies
The study underscores the influence of sex hormones in dementia occurrence, offering a potential path for developing gender-tailored prevention strategies. This comprehensive analysis opens doors to more personalized approaches in combating cognitive decline, considering the unique reproductive histories of individuals.
Article Information
Male- and female-specific reproductive risk factors across the lifespan for dementia or cognitive decline: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BMC Medicine. Shuang-Ling Han et al.
Abstract
Background: Sex difference exists in the prevalence of dementia and cognitive decline. The impacts of sex-specific reproductive risk factors across the lifespan on the risk of dementia or cognitive decline are still unclear. Herein, we conducted this systemic review and meta-analysis to finely depict the longitudinal associations between sex-specific reproductive factors and dementia or cognitive decline.
Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched up to January 2023. Studies focused on the associations of female- and male-specific reproductive factors with dementia or cognitive decline were included. Multivariable-adjusted effects were pooled via the random effect models. Evidence credibility was scored by the GRADE system. The study protocol was pre-registered in PROSPERO and the registration number is CRD42021278732.
Results: A total of 94 studies were identified for evidence synthesis, comprising 9,839,964 females and 3,436,520 males. Among the identified studies, 63 of them were included in the meta-analysis. According to the results, seven female-specific reproductive factors including late menarche (risk increase by 15%), nulliparous (11%), grand parity (32%), bilateral oophorectomy (8%), short reproductive period (14%), early menopause (22%), increased estradiol level (46%), and two male-specific reproductive factors, androgen deprivation therapy (18%), and serum sex hormone-binding globulin (22%) were associated with an elevated risk of dementia or cognitive decline.
Conclusions: These findings potentially reflect sex hormone-driven discrepancy in the occurrence of dementia and could help build sex-based precise strategies for preventing dementia.
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