Anesthesia and surgery induce sex-dependent Tau phosphorylation and behavior changes in aged mice

The authors investigate whether anesthesia and surgery induce sex-dependent changes in Tau phosphorylation and behavior in aged mice, specifically focusing on the role of testosterone and androgen receptor signaling. Their findings reveal that anesthesia/surgery significantly increases Tau-PT217 levels and leads to postoperative delirium-like behavior in aged female mice, but not in males, suggesting that lower testosterone levels in females may contribute to these effects. Additionally, manipulating testosterone levels in male and female mice further supports the hypothesis that sex differences in Tau phosphorylation and behavior are influenced by androgen signaling.