Just like a complex puzzle, understanding the impact of sex and gender on Alzheimer’s disease requires examining all the pieces. The Women’s Brain Project (WBP) has emerged as a key player in this field, aiming to bridge the gap in research on sex and gender differences in AD. With their multidisciplinary team of experts, WBP takes a holistic approach to studying the brain and mental health, working together with stakeholders worldwide to reshape research and policy frameworks. Their contributions have sparked global discussions and shed light on the profound physiological and pharmacological distinctions between men and women with AD. As the global population ages, it is crucial to foster an inclusive approach that considers sex and gender realities when it comes to diagnosis, care, and patient journeys. WBP’s groundbreaking work has paved the way for the establishment of the world’s first Sex and Gender Precision Medicine Institute. By delving into basic science, clinical outcomes, digital health, and policy frameworks, this review not only heightens awareness but also offers research suggestions to leverage sex and gender differences in combating AD. Beyond Alzheimer’s disease, WBP continues to forge ahead, championing the importance of sex and gender inclusion across all aspects of neurodegenerative research.

The global population is expected to have about 131.5 million people living with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias by 2050, posing a severe health crisis. Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that gradually impairs physical and cognitive functions. Dementia has a variety of causes, symptoms, and heterogeneity concerning the influence of sex on prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes. The proportion of male-to-female prevalence varies based on the type of dementia. Despite some types of dementia being more common in men, women have a greater lifetime risk of developing dementia. AD is the most common form of dementia in which approximately two-thirds of the affected persons are women. Profound sex and gender differences in physiology and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions have increasingly been identified. As a result, new approaches to dementia diagnosis, care, and patient journeys should be considered. In the heart of a rapidly aging worldwide population, the Women’s Brain Project (WBP) was born from the necessity to address the sex and gender gap in AD. WBP is now a well-established international non-profit organization with a global multidisciplinary team of experts studying sex and gender determinants in the brain and mental health. WBP works with different stakeholders worldwide to help change perceptions and reduce sex biases in clinical and preclinical research and policy frameworks. With its strong female leadership, WBP is an example of the importance of female professionals’ work in the field of dementia research. WBP-led peer-reviewed papers, articles, books, lectures, and various initiatives in the policy and advocacy space have profoundly impacted the community and driven global discussion. WBP is now in the initial phases of establishing the world’s first Sex and Gender Precision Medicine Institute. This review highlights the contributions of the WBP team to the field of AD. This review aims to increase awareness of potentially important aspects of basic science, clinical outcomes, digital health, policy framework and provide the research community with potential challenges and research suggestions to leverage sex and gender differences. Finally, at the end of the review, we briefly touch upon our progress and contribution toward sex and gender inclusion beyond Alzheimer’s disease.

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