AJHG: OMG! Men have shorter life spans and are more susceptible to Alzheimer's because of this

The continuous production of blood cells lacking the Y chromosome for a period of time is considered to be a biological explanation for the shorter life expectancy of men than for women. Recently, an article was published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, an international academic journal that reported that men who had a Y chromosome in their blood samples had almost the same risk of developing a risk-bearing Alzheimer's disease.

"Now most genetic studies focus on genetic genetic variation, but we focus on postzygotic mutations." Using new analytical tools to analyze genetic variation that accumulates with age, we can help Explain how a sporadic disease like cancer or Alzheimer's disease occurs. "The article's senior author Lars Forsberg and first author Jan Dumanski said.

There is a zygote mutation in the cells of male individuals - the deletion of the Y chromosome, which is present in some blood cells. Y chromosome deletions are present in up to 17% of men and are more frequent in older men or men who have a stroke. This study suggests that Y chromosome deletions can be predictive biomarkers for many diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease. It is still unclear why the Y chromosome deletion is associated with an increased risk of disease, but the authors speculate that it may be related to a decline in immune system capacity.

In this study, the researchers analyzed more than 3,000 men and hoped to determine whether Y chromosome deletions in blood cells were associated with Alzheimer's disease. Participants in the study were from three long-term studies, and participants were able to provide blood samples on a regular basis. After analysis, the researchers found that the population with the highest proportion of Y chromosome deletion blood cells was more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

The researchers said that the absence of the Y chromosome does not necessarily mean 100% of cancer or Alzheimer's disease, but the Y chromosome in blood cells can still be a new biomarker predicting the risk of disease. Perhaps this diagnosis can help detect the disease early. And help to treat in time. They plan to further expand the population's research into the effects of Y-chromosome deletions and explore the relationship between specific disease risks.