About this Research Topic
There is a growing body of research on sex and gender differences in neurocognitive aging and behavior. While some differences exist, the literature is not always consistent. For example, although females are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, some evidence suggests that males may have a greater loss of brain volume with age, particularly in regions associated with memory and executive function. Sex differences may also exist in how the brain responds to stress and inflammation, which can impact brain aging. For example, females may be more vulnerable to stress-related changes in the hippocampus, a brain region important for memory. Recent studies have also linked women's risk for developing dementia to menopause and endocrine aging, which may further indicate a possible relationship between cognitive decline and sex hormones.
To advance our understanding of the complex interplay between sex, gender, hormones, and other factors in neurocognitive aging and behavior, we intend to showcase studies investigating neurocognitive disparities pertaining to sex and gender differences, as well biological mechanisms that are differentially regulated by sex hormones during the process of healthy brain-aging. Mechanistic studies using animal models are particularly encouraged. Additionally, research focusing on the development of new methodologies and therapeutic interventions for enhancing the neurocognition of older adults, with a focus on gender diversity, are also of great interest. Recent literature on minority stress and resilience also provides a potential avenue for investigating the relationship between gender and neurocognitive aging in older adults of diverse gender identities, including transgender individuals. In this Research Topic, we encourage authors from various subfields of neuroscience to submit Original research, Meta-Analysis, Perspective, and in-depth Review articles to contribute to this important area of study.
Keywords: neurocognitive, aging, sex, gender, sex-differences, behavior
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.