Higher Rates of Decline for Women and Apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 Carriers

This study assesses the risk of being female in addition to the well-known factors of age and apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 status in the development and progression of Alzheimer disease based on longitudinal brain atrophy, cognitive decline, and CSF markers. APOE epsilon 4 accelerated rates of decline, especially in women. The gender effect was at least as important as APOE epsilon 4 status and showed weaker relationships to CSF markers.