Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona calls for more women in science to avoid research biases

INFORMATIVE NOTE

Barcelona, ​​February 6, 2025

• Recent studies led by the organisation show that women diagnosed with Alzheimer’s have a faster progression than men, but are 26% less likely to be selected for clinical trials.
• Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona’s team, 81% of whom are women, leads the commitment to a more equitable and diverse science.

Coinciding with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona joins this celebration with a call to the scientific community to incorporate a greater gender perspective in scientific research, especially in the field of Alzheimer’s disease. Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona claims the need to address existing biases, which affect both the design of studies and the development of therapies, and which can have a direct impact on women’s health.

Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia worldwide and projections suggest that by 2050, more than 150 million people in the world will suffer from the disease. However, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s in women is almost twice as high as in men, with clear differences in risk factors associated with gender. Despite these data, women continue to be under-represented in clinical trials, which generates a significant bias in the results obtained and in the development of therapies that, by not adequately considering the characteristics of women, limit the effectiveness of treatments.

Recently, Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona has led three studies that reflect the urgency of changing this situation. One of the studies, conducted with more than 6,000 patients, showed that women diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s disease progress at a faster rate than men. Although cognitive outcomes showed an overall deterioration in both sexes, women experienced a more rapid increase in the level of deterioration according to the clinical rating scale (CDR), underlining the importance of considering gender differences in the progression of the disease.

A second study shows that women are 26% less likely to be selected to participate in clinical trials, largely due to criteria such as educational level. This imbalance is even more pronounced in older women, who tend to have a lower level of education than men, depriving them of participation in key studies for their treatment. A gap which, in the case of Alzheimer’s disease, affects a group of patients (women) whose prevalence is considerably higher.

Another recent article on the subject suggests that detection of behavioural changes and attention to behavioural disturbances is a key clinical aspect of Alzheimer’s disease and its relationship to the sex of the patient and caregiver. Female caregivers represent 65% of the total in our studies. In addition, the research confirmed that female caregivers provide care to patients who tend to have a greater burden, so strategies need to be developed to minimise the disruption they may experience.

From the first contact, an action plan should be designed to improve, throughout the clinical process, the quality of life of patients and their families and to optimise treatment strategies. Alzheimer’s dementia requires a holistic approach in which the patient must be at the centre, but recognising the essential role of the caregiver.

“These results underline the need for Alzheimer’s research to focus on identifying and understanding gender differences in the evolution of the disease, an aspect that has so far been largely ignored due to the lack of an inclusive and accurate research methodology. The lack of this consideration not only limits the understanding of the disease, but also undermines the effectiveness of treatments”, says Maitee Rosende-Roca of Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona.

ACE ALZHEIMER CENTRE BARCELONA, AN ORGANISATION MADE UP OF WOMEN

Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona also highlights the commitment of the centre’s management and scientific team, the majority of whom are women. Eighty-one percent of its management team is made up of women, including such important positions as the general director, Miren Jone Gurrutxaga, and the medical director, the neurologist and co-founder, Mercè Boada. Among the outstanding scientists who lead different areas of the centre are Dr. Pilar Sanz, neurologist and clinical head; Dr. Montse Alegret, head of the Neuropsychology area; Dr. Pilar Cañabate, doctor in social and cultural anthropology and head of the Social Work area; Dr. Victoria Fernández, PhD in biology and head of the Genetics Programme; Dr. Marta Marquié, PhD, neurologist and director of the Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Programme; and Dr. Amanda Cano, PhD in nanomedicine and neuropharmacology, as well as head of the Molecular Biology and Biomarkers Programme.

“Since our founding, Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona has been firmly committed to the active and diverse participation of women scientists. We believe that progress in the field of research can only be achieved through inclusive and balanced work. We are committed to continue promoting female talent to build a more equal and promising future for all women and girls interested in science”, says Miren Jone Gurrutxaga, CEO of Ace Alzheimer Center.

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