Women experience “significantly faster” decline in knowledge than men and are at higher risk for dementia, scientists warn
- Researchers in the United States analyzed 26,088 people who took cognitive tests
- This included 11,775 men and 14,313 women with a mean age of onset of 58 years
- The team found that men’s and women’s memory skills decline at similar rates
- But women have lost executive function and overall cognitive performance faster
- It is known that decreasing these two areas of knowledge increases the risk of dementia
Compared to men, women experience “significantly faster” cognitive declines later in life, which increases their risk of dementia, a new study has warned.
Researchers in the US analyzed data on the cognitive decline of 26,088 people who were repeatedly tested for global knowledge, executive function and memory.
At the beginning of the test, the average age of the participants was 58 years.
The team found that, on average, men and women experienced decreases in memory capacity at a similar rate.
However, it has been found that women suffer significantly greater declines in both global cognition and executive function – trends related to the increased risk of dementia.
Compared to men, women experience “significantly faster” cognitive declines later in life, which increases their risk of dementia, a new study has warned (stock image)
‘[Our] The results suggest that women have a higher cognitive reserve, but a faster cognitive decline than men, the researchers wrote in their paper.
“Evidence suggests that the incidence of dementia in Europe and the United States has declined over the past 25 years, but the declines have been smaller for women than for men.”
Our findings suggest that women are at risk for delayed identification of cognitive decline, but also a faster trajectory of decline, suggesting an increased risk of dementia and disability compared to men.
This, they added, “is consistent with research showing that women with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease have a faster cognitive decline than men.”
In their study, chronic disease expert Deborah Levine of the University of Michigan and colleagues analyzed data on the cognitive abilities of 26,088 people – including 11,775 men and 14,313 women.
The data were collected from five existing health studies, which took place between 1971-2017.
All subjects included in the study did not have a history of stroke or dementia at the time of the first assessment, as they may affect the rate of cognitive decline.
The researchers found that – at the time of their first cognitive assessment, women had significantly higher overall average performance scores on cognition, executive function and memory than their male counterparts.
While women’s and men’s memory abilities have been shown to decrease over time by approximately the same rate, women have been shown to experience significantly faster declines in their performance in both global and cognitive cognitive tests. executive function.
While women’s and men’s memory abilities have been shown to decrease over time at approximately the same rate, women have been shown to experience significantly faster declines in both global knowledge and performance tests. of the executive function. In the image, a comparison of projected decreases in cognitive values (with global cognition on the left, executive function in the middle, and memory on the right) beginning at age 70 for the black man and woman
According to the researchers, the findings may help improve the provision of health care for women later in life.
“Women may have greater needs for care and functional support resources, especially given the longer life expectancy of women compared to men,” they said.
In addition, they added that women may also have a “greater need for serial cognitive assessment to allow for earlier detection of cognitive decline.”
Women, they added, have a higher risk than men of being diagnosed with dementia based on objectively measured cognitive decline.
However, the team warned, “our findings that women had higher initial cognitive scores suggest that informants and clinicians may not notice a significant cognitive decline in women until substantial loss and impairment has occurred.”
The full results of the study were published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
WHAT IS DEMENTIA? THE ORIGINAL DISEASE THAT ROBBERS THE SUFFERING OF THEIR MEMORIES
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a number of neurological disorders
A GLOBAL CONCERN
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a series of progressive neurological disorders (those that affect the brain) that impact memory, thinking and behavior.
There are many different types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.
Some people may have a combination of types of dementia.
Regardless of the type diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in their own unique way.
Dementia is a global concern, but it is most common in richer countries, where people are likely to live into old age.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED?
The Alzheimer’s Society reports that in the UK there are over 850,000 people living with dementia today, of which over 500,000 have Alzheimer’s.
It is estimated that the number of people living with dementia in the UK by 2025 will increase to over 1 million.
In the United States, there are an estimated 5.5 million people with Alzheimer’s. A similar percentage increase is expected in the coming years.
As a person ages, their risk of developing dementia increases.
The rate of diagnosis is improving, but it is believed that many people with dementia are still undiagnosed.
IS THERE A CURE?
There is currently no cure for dementia.
But new drugs can slow its progression and the earlier they are seen, the more effective the treatments.
Source: Alzheimer’s Society