Women’s Predisposition to Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible brain disorder and is the most common cause of dementia in older adults. Early symptoms usually include memory loss, but more serious symptoms would start to show later in which the patient’s overall thinking and ability to carry out simple tasks would be hindered [1].

Women have a 1 in 5 chance of developing Alzheimer’s at the age of 65, which is more than double the chance in men of the same age. Why is this the case? Researchers used to believe higher prevalence in women could be due to the fact that they live longer than men, since age is the number one risk factor for Alzheimer’s [2]. However, new research is showing other factors may be at play.

In this highly informative TED Talk, neuroscientist Lisa Mosconi explains how menopause can make women more susceptible to Alzheimer’s and offers some solutions and lifestyle changes that can be made to support lifelong brain health:

References:

What Is Alzheimer’s Disease? [Internet]. National Institute on Aging – National Institutes of Health. 2017 [cited 5 June 2020]. Available from: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-alzheimers-diseas

Sauer A. Why Is Alzheimer’s More Likely in Women? [Internet]. Alzheimers.net. 2019 [cited 5 June 2020]. Available from: https://www.alzheimers.net/8-12-15-why-is-alzheimers-more-likely-in-women/