Correlation between brain-adrenal axis activation and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease: is there a gender effect?
The present study evaluates the relationship between brain-adrenal axis activity and cognitive function in patients suffering from senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT). Thirty-four subjects (20 females and 14 males) were assessed using the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) and plasma cortisol levels after administration of 0.5 mg of dexamethasone. The results show a positive Spearman rank correlation between the GDS scores and postdexamethasone cortisol levels only in female subjects, but not in males. Different gender distributions might explain the contradictory results of previous investigations of the relationship between brain-adrenal axis activity and cognitive function in SDAT patients.
Oxenkrug
G F
GF
Department of Psychiatry, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
Gurevich
D
D
Siegel
B
B
Dumlao
M S
MS
Gershon
S
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003907:Dexamethasone; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
D003907:Dexamethasone; D006854:Hydrocortisone