Hsiao-Ying Wey/Science Translational Medicine
Past studies revealed that the risks of developing neurological disorders vary depending on a person’s sex. Males have a higher chance of developing Parkinson’s disease, ALS, or neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism or ADHD. Females have higher percentages of Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, as well as mood-related disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder. A recent study involving the effect of sex on gene expression explains why.
The study found that sex chromosomes and hormonal influences on cell-type gene expression might explain sex differences in susceptibility to neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative diseases. The study analyzed samples of transcriptomic cell types of the brain’s cortex from 15 adult males and 15 adult females across six different areas of the brain. They found that more than 3000 genes showed sex biased gene expression, and over 100 of these genes were consistent across the different regions and cell types. Furthermore, most of these genes with sex-biased expression are not located on sex chromosomes but are autosomal and can be activated by sex hormones. Overall, this data can be used to link the differences we see between the sexes in hormone regulation, cortical structure, and susceptibility to brain-related disorders.
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I think it’s surprising that most of these differences aren’t even on sex chromosomes, but are actually affected by hormones. It also helps explain why some brain disorders are more common in males or females.this study helps us better understand how the brain works and could help with better treatments in the future.
ReplyDeleteIt is fascinating to see these changes play out in real life.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting look at how biological sex can influence neurological disease risk at the genetic level. The idea that over 3,000 genes show sex-biased expression, many of them not even located on the sex chromosomes, is especially compelling because it suggests hormones play a much larger role than just the presence of XX or XY chromosomes.
ReplyDeleteThis study is really interesting because it shows that differences between male and female brains are not just due to sex chromosomes, but also heavily influenced by hormones. I found it surprising that over 3000 genes show sex-biased expression, especially since most are autosomal. This helps explain why certain neurological and mood disorders are more common in one sex over the other. Understanding these differences could be very important for developing more personalized treatments in the future.
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