Fig. 3

Scatter plots depicting the association between baseline plasma MMP-9 levels and cognitive performance in men and women. A Higher levels of plasma free MMP-9 at baseline were associated with a faster decline in MMSE scores in women (blue) but not men (green). B Similarly, higher total MMP-9 at baseline correlated with a faster decline in MMSE scores among women but not men. Higher baseline free MMP-9 levels correlated with higher ADAS-cog scores cross-sectionally in women (blue), but not in men (green). C Higher baseline free MMP-9 levels correlated with higher ADAS-cog scores cross-sectionally in women with AD dementia, but not in men (green). D Higher total MMP-9 levels at baseline correlated with a faster increase in ADAS-cog scores for men with AD dementia, but not for women