Women experience ‘significantly faster’ decreases in cognition 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 initial age of 58 years
- The team found that the memory abilities of both men and women decreased at similar rates
- But women lost executive function and overall cognitive performance more quickly
- Decreasing in these two areas of cognition is known to increase the risk of dementia
Compared to men, women experience “significantly faster” cognitive declines later in life that increase the risk of dementia, a new study has warned.
U.S. researchers analyzed data on cognitive decline in 26,088 people that were tested repeatedly for global cognition, executive function, and memory.
At the beginning of the test, the mean age of the participants was 58 years.
The team found that, on average, men and women experienced decreases in their memory capacity at a similar rate.
However, it was found that women experienced significantly greater decreases in both overall cognition and executive function, trends related to the increased risk of dementia.
Compared to men, women experience “significantly faster” cognitive declines later in life that increase the risk of dementia, a new study has warned (stock image)
‘[Our] The results suggest that women have a greater cognitive reserve, but a faster cognitive decline in later life than men, ”the researchers wrote in their article.
“Evidence suggests that the incidence of dementia in Europe and the United States has decreased over the past 25 years, but the decreases were lower in women than in men.”
“Our findings suggest that women are at risk of identifying cognitive impairment late, but with a faster decline trajectory, suggesting a higher 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 her 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 grouped from five existing health studies that were conducted between 1971 and 2017.
All subjects included in the study had no 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 performance scores in overall cognition, executive function, and memory than their male counterparts.
Although women’s and men’s memory abilities were found to decrease over time at approximately the same rate, women experienced significantly faster decreases in their performance in both global cognition tests and executive functions.
Although women’s and men’s memory abilities were found to decrease over time at approximately the same rate, women experienced significantly faster decreases in their performance in both global cognition tests and executive functions. In the image, a comparison of the projected decreases in cognitive values (with global cognition on the left, middle executive function and right memory) from the age of 70 for the average black man and woman
According to researchers, the findings may help improve the provision of health care to women later in life.
“Women may have more resource needs for care and functional support, especially because of women’s longer life expectancy compared to men,” they said.
In addition, they added that women may also have a “greater need for serial cognitive assessment to allow early detection of cognitive impairment.”
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 physicians would not be able to observe significant cognitive impairment in women until there was a substantial loss and impairment “.
The full findings of the study were published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
WHAT IS DEMENTIA? THE KILLING DISEASE THAT STOVES THE PATITS OF THEIR MEMORIES
Dementia is a general term used to describe a number of neurological disorders
A GLOBAL CONCERN
Dementia is a term used to describe a series of progressive neurological disorders (affecting the brain) that affect 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 dementia types.
Regardless of what type is diagnosed, each person will experience their dementia in their own unique way.
Dementia is a global concern, but is most often seen in richer countries, where people are likely to live into old age.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED?
The Alzheimer’s Society reports that today there are more than 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, of whom more than 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 one million.
In the United States, an estimated 5.5 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s. A similar percentage increase is expected in the coming years.
As a person’s age increases, so does the risk of developing dementia.
Diagnosis rates are improving, but it is believed that many people with dementia are not yet diagnosed.
IS THERE CARE?
There is currently no cure for dementia.
But new drugs can slow their progression and the sooner they are detected, the more effective the treatments will be.
Source: Alzheimer’s Society