Impacts of Risk Factors on Dementia Differ Between Genders

Dementia can stem from various avenues, but certain common risk factors increase the likelihood of a diagnosis. A comprehensive new study indicates, however, that among older adults, these risk factors affect men and women differently.

It appears that some risk factors have a more pronounced effect on women’s cognitive abilities compared to men. Accumulating multiple risk factors over a lifetime seems to diminish women’s brain function more than it does men’s.

In simpler terms, these specific risk factors might not carry the same weight in a woman’s brain as they do in a man’s, which is crucial for future dementia research and treatments.

It’s well established that dementia is more prevalent in women than in men, and simply outliving men doesn’t entirely explain this disparity.

There’s likely more at play that these findings could help clarify.

According to researchers, their study suggests women may face a higher dementia risk because they encounter more risk factors, which also appear to impact cognition more severely than in men.

Megan Fitzhugh and Judy Pa, neuroscientists at the University of California, San Diego, emphasize the need for personalized approaches in assessing and managing dementia risk.

“Beyond identifying common risk factors, we discovered some significantly impact women’s cognitive performance more than men’s,” Fitzhugh explains.

This points to the idea that preventive measures might be more successful if tailored not just to the prevalence of risk factors but also to their varying effects on cognition in different genders.

The research examined health data from over 17,000 individuals aged 40 and older, focusing on 13 risk factors associated with dementia.

Interestingly, conditions like depression, inactivity, and sleep issues were more prevalent among women. Conversely, higher rates of hearing loss, diabetes, and excessive alcohol consumption were reported more frequently by men.

Some risk factors were connected to greater cognitive declines in women, indicating they negatively impact women’s brains more than men’s. These included high blood pressure, hearing loss, and diabetes.

A higher BMI was linked to lower cognitive scores in women in their 50s and 60s but not as much in older age groups.

Amid these concerning findings, there were some encouraging signs that certain factors might aid in maintaining cognitive function in women compared to men.

“Two factors, years of education and total cholesterol levels, showed positive relationships with cognition—higher levels corresponded with better cognitive performance,” the researchers note.

These discoveries suggest that exploring these factors further could be particularly important in assessing women’s dementia risk.

However, it’s essential to acknowledge that this observational study cannot definitively establish causation. Long-term research may offer stronger evidence linking these risk factors to cognitive performance.

The terms ‘women’ and ‘men’ in this context refer to individuals’ self-reported biological sex, even though they are recognized gender categories.

It’s vital to differentiate between the prevalence of risk factors and their potential impacts on cognitive health, as these two may not always align. “Focusing solely on the most common risks for each sex may result in overlooking significant factors that could drastically influence cognitive decline,” the researchers state.

Earlier studies support these findings, suggesting risk factors for dementia may have different effects on men and women, although past research often focused only on single risk factors.

Alzheimer’s disease affects roughly one in nine U.S. adults over 65, with two-thirds being women. While the statistics surrounding dementia can seem grim, there are actionable ways to mitigate risk as research on treatments progresses.

All the identified risk factors are modifiable, meaning that individuals and their healthcare providers can focus on areas for improvement, such as reducing alcohol consumption, increasing physical activity, or seeking help for depression.

Future research might explore why women’s cognition appears more susceptible to certain factors. Hormonal changes, particularly around menopause, could be involved, but the specifics remain unclear.

These findings underline the necessity of considering gender as an essential variable in dementia research.

The results of this study have been published in *Biology of Sex Differences*.