Effect of sex on trajectories of verbal learning and memory and clinical symptoms in diverse Alzheimer's disease cohorts

and hippocampal volume) who were clinically normal at baseline and completed follow-up assessment 18-24 months later.ResultsIn both cohorts, women demonstrated higher verbal learning and memory scores at baseline (ps < 0.001). In the NHW cohort, longitudinal sex differences were observed in verbal learning and memory, with women maintaining performance over time, whereas men's performance declined (p = 0.071 and p = 0.020, respectively). In the HL cohort, longitudinal sex differences were observed in clinical symptoms, with men demonstrating greater decline than women (p = 0.033). Trajectories of decline did not significantly differ between ethnic cohorts. AD biomarkers did not moderate observed effects.ConclusionsThis study highlights the potential impact of ethnicity on sex-based differences in cognitive decline in older adulthood. Future work is needed to determine best practices for tracking progression along the AD continuum, particularly within the preclinical phase.