Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder which affects cognitive function, particularly memory. AD is known to affect females more than males, with over 2/3 of all diagnoses being represented by females. Research continues to study the nature of this difference. Females are more affected by the brain changes that result from AD and are at a greater genetic risk. Also, following menopause, estrogen levels drop, which is known to increase the risk of developing AD. There does exist treatment to increase estrogen levels after menopause, hormone replacement therapy, which has been found to protect against the risk of AD. Further, research has shown that cognitive training and lifelong stimulating experiences, like education, can protect against the decline in cognitive function associated with AD. There is mixed evidence that lifelong sex differences in memory may protect cognitive function. To understand the mixed evidence, we will study how genetics and hormones affect the progression of AD. We will compare groups of older adults at greater or less risk: those at a greater risk are females when compared to males and females who do not receive hormonal replacement therapy compared to those who did. This will allow us to study those who have an elevated risk for AD and how protected they are from cognitive impairment in dementia. Specifically, we expect that those with less risk for AD will benefit from lifelong cognitive training, while those with a greater risk may already be too burdened by the disease. This study will help researchers understand the disproportionate impact of AD on females to help develop methods of earlier detection, intervention, and prevention.