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Sex Differences in Neuropathology and Cognitive Behavior in APP/PS1/tau Triple-Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease
Yang JT, Wang ZJ, Cai HY, Yuan L, Hu MM, Wu MN, Qi JS.. Neuroscience bulletin, 2018-08-11
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among the elderly, characterized by amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuroinflammation in the brain, as well as impaired cognitive behaviors. A sex difference in the prevalence of AD has been noted, while sex differences in the cerebral pathology and relevant molecular mechanisms are not well clarified. In the present study, we systematically investigated the sex differences in pathological characteristics and cognitive behavior in 12-month-old male and female APP/PS1/tau triple-transgenic AD mice (3×Tg-AD mice) and examined the molecular mechanisms.
Key findings
- A sex difference in the prevalence of AD has been noted, while sex differences in the cerebral pathology and relevant molecular mechanisms are not well clarified.
- In the present study, we systematically investigated the sex differences in pathological characteristics and cognitive behavior in 12-month-old male and female APP/PS1/tau triple-transgenic AD mice (3×Tg-AD mice) and examined the molecular mechanisms.
- We found that female 3×Tg-AD mice displayed more prominent amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, neuroinflammation, and spatial cognitive deficits than male 3×Tg-AD mice.
- Furthermore, the expression levels of hippocampal protein kinase A-cAMP response element-binding protein (PKA-CREB) and p38-mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) also showed sex difference in the AD mice, with a significant increase in the levels of p-PKA/p-CREB and a decrease in the p-p38 in female, but not male, 3×Tg-AD mice.
Why it matters
In 12-month-old APP/PS1/tau triple-transgenic mice, female mice displayed more prominent amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuroinflammation than males. This is an animal study, so the sex differences found cannot be directly assumed to apply to treating or preventing Alzheimer's disease in people.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neuroscience bulletin) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Neuroscience Bulletin: journal h-index 88 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “app/ps1”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 162 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.2 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 8.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 54 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Jin‐Shun Qi: h-index 31 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Shanxi Medical University: institution h-index 258 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30099679) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1007/s12264-018-0268-9
- PubMed: 30099679
- Original source →
- Free full text: Neuroscience Bulletin →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Yang, J. T., Wang, Z. J., Cai, H. Y., Yuan, L., Hu, M. M., Wu, M. N., et al. (2018). Sex Differences in Neuropathology and Cognitive Behavior in APP/PS1/tau Triple-Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Neuroscience bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-018-0268-9
Vancouver
Yang JT, Wang ZJ, Cai HY, Yuan L, Hu MM, Wu MN, et al. Sex Differences in Neuropathology and Cognitive Behavior in APP/PS1/tau Triple-Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Neuroscience bulletin. 2018. doi:10.1007/s12264-018-0268-9. PMID: 30099679.
BibTeX
@article{yang2018-30099679,
author = {Yang, J. T. and Wang, Z. J. and Cai, H. Y. and Yuan, L. and Hu, M. M. and Wu, M. N. and Qi, J. S.},
title = {{Sex Differences in Neuropathology and Cognitive Behavior in APP/PS1/tau Triple-Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease}},
journal = {Neuroscience bulletin},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1007/s12264-018-0268-9},
pmid = {30099679},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s12264-018-0268-9}
}
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