Do you know anyone struggling with Alzheimer's Disease (AD)? Any friends or family? The chances are high that you do. One in nine Americans over 65 suffer with AD currently and case numbers continue to rise each year. This is not surprising, given that the number of Americans over 65 is also rising annually. But did you know that women are almost twice as likely as men to develop this devastating disease? Women also tend to experience more severe symptoms than men. What is behind these sex differences, and how may understanding the complex biological mechanisms that drive them inform differential treatment strategies for men and women suffering with AD?

Dr. Agnes Lacreuse at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has developed a very promising marmoset model to explore these questions and more - but her research is under attack by PETA. And, like PETA's campaign against Dr. Elisabeth Murray (discussed previously in our Roadmap to Mental Health episode), PETA's claims are misleading and dangerous to public health. Joining us today to break down the actual facts is a colleague who is directly familiar with Dr. Lacreuse's marmoset studies and an expert in her own right on research related to brain changes and aging in women. I have chosen to keep her anonymous for her protection.

Facts about Alzheimer’s Disease

What is Alzheimer’s Disease? Alzheimer’s Association

Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet National Institute on Aging

Why are marmosets valuable for understanding the differential impact of sex hormone loss on cognitive aging and the risk for Alzheimer’s Disease in men and women?

Why nonhuman primates are essential for addressing Alzheimer’s disease and women’s health issues

One-year change in cognitive flexibility and fine motor function in middle-aged male and female marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

Adverse Effects of Aromatase Inhibition on the Brain and Behavior in a Nonhuman Primate

Lacreuse Lab UMass - Amherst: Know The Facts

Excerpts from PETA’s own chronicle of their campaign against Dr. Agnes Lacreuse are below. What impact will this baseless campaign have on medical advances related to Alzheimer’s Disease and women’s health? And why does PETA not seem to care?