Sex and gender differences in the molecular etiology of Parkinson’s disease: considerations for study design and data analysis
Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) is more prevalent in men than women, and presents with different clinical features in each sex. Despite widespread recognition of these differences, females are under-represented in clinical and experimental studies of PD, and much remains to be elucidated regarding...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Biology of Sex Differences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13293-025-00692-w |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823863608730189824 |
|---|---|
| author | Samantha L. Schaffner Kira N. Tosefsky Amy M. Inskter Silke Appel-Cresswell Julia M. Schulze-Hentrich |
| author_facet | Samantha L. Schaffner Kira N. Tosefsky Amy M. Inskter Silke Appel-Cresswell Julia M. Schulze-Hentrich |
| author_sort | Samantha L. Schaffner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) is more prevalent in men than women, and presents with different clinical features in each sex. Despite widespread recognition of these differences, females are under-represented in clinical and experimental studies of PD, and much remains to be elucidated regarding the biological underpinnings of sex differences in PD. In this review, we summarize known contributors to sex differences in PD etiology across the life course, with a focus on neurological development and gene regulation. Sex differences that are established at conception and heightened during adolescence and midlife may partially embed future PD risk, due to the complex interactions between gonadal hormones, gene regulation, lifestyle factors, and aging. While the neuroprotective properties of estrogen are strongly implicated in reduced prevalence of PD in women, interactions with genotype and gender-biased lifestyle factors are incompletely understood. Consideration of sex and gender-related factors in study design, data analysis, and interpretation have the power to expedite our knowledge of the etiology of PD in men and in women, and to inform prevention and therapeutic strategies tailored to each sex. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-76f16cdc7468434a9f3973fb7b4123f9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2042-6410 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology of Sex Differences |
| spelling | doaj-art-76f16cdc7468434a9f3973fb7b4123f92025-02-09T12:04:56ZengBMCBiology of Sex Differences2042-64102025-02-0116111110.1186/s13293-025-00692-wSex and gender differences in the molecular etiology of Parkinson’s disease: considerations for study design and data analysisSamantha L. Schaffner0Kira N. Tosefsky1Amy M. Inskter2Silke Appel-Cresswell3Julia M. Schulze-Hentrich4Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British ColumbiaPacific Parkinson’s Research Centre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British ColumbiaBC Children’s Hospital Research InstitutePacific Parkinson’s Research Centre, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British ColumbiaDepartment of Genetics/Epigenetics, Faculty NT, Saarland UniversityAbstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) is more prevalent in men than women, and presents with different clinical features in each sex. Despite widespread recognition of these differences, females are under-represented in clinical and experimental studies of PD, and much remains to be elucidated regarding the biological underpinnings of sex differences in PD. In this review, we summarize known contributors to sex differences in PD etiology across the life course, with a focus on neurological development and gene regulation. Sex differences that are established at conception and heightened during adolescence and midlife may partially embed future PD risk, due to the complex interactions between gonadal hormones, gene regulation, lifestyle factors, and aging. While the neuroprotective properties of estrogen are strongly implicated in reduced prevalence of PD in women, interactions with genotype and gender-biased lifestyle factors are incompletely understood. Consideration of sex and gender-related factors in study design, data analysis, and interpretation have the power to expedite our knowledge of the etiology of PD in men and in women, and to inform prevention and therapeutic strategies tailored to each sex.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13293-025-00692-wParkinson’s diseaseGenomicsEpigenomicsTranscriptomicsStudy designData analysis |
| spellingShingle | Samantha L. Schaffner Kira N. Tosefsky Amy M. Inskter Silke Appel-Cresswell Julia M. Schulze-Hentrich Sex and gender differences in the molecular etiology of Parkinson’s disease: considerations for study design and data analysis Biology of Sex Differences Parkinson’s disease Genomics Epigenomics Transcriptomics Study design Data analysis |
| title | Sex and gender differences in the molecular etiology of Parkinson’s disease: considerations for study design and data analysis |
| title_full | Sex and gender differences in the molecular etiology of Parkinson’s disease: considerations for study design and data analysis |
| title_fullStr | Sex and gender differences in the molecular etiology of Parkinson’s disease: considerations for study design and data analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sex and gender differences in the molecular etiology of Parkinson’s disease: considerations for study design and data analysis |
| title_short | Sex and gender differences in the molecular etiology of Parkinson’s disease: considerations for study design and data analysis |
| title_sort | sex and gender differences in the molecular etiology of parkinson s disease considerations for study design and data analysis |
| topic | Parkinson’s disease Genomics Epigenomics Transcriptomics Study design Data analysis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13293-025-00692-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samanthalschaffner sexandgenderdifferencesinthemolecularetiologyofparkinsonsdiseaseconsiderationsforstudydesignanddataanalysis AT kirantosefsky sexandgenderdifferencesinthemolecularetiologyofparkinsonsdiseaseconsiderationsforstudydesignanddataanalysis AT amyminskter sexandgenderdifferencesinthemolecularetiologyofparkinsonsdiseaseconsiderationsforstudydesignanddataanalysis AT silkeappelcresswell sexandgenderdifferencesinthemolecularetiologyofparkinsonsdiseaseconsiderationsforstudydesignanddataanalysis AT juliamschulzehentrich sexandgenderdifferencesinthemolecularetiologyofparkinsonsdiseaseconsiderationsforstudydesignanddataanalysis |