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Men vs. Women: Whose Memory is Worse?
Study shows older men more likely to have memory
problems than older women.
By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Medical News
Men
have a reputation for having a bad memory,
forgetting birthdays or anniversaries -- or so the
stereotype goes. Now, a new study lends some science
to the stereotype, at least for older men.
Men
70-plus are more likely than women in that age range
to have memory problems and other cognitive
impairments, according to researchers from the Mayo
Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who presented the
finding this week at the American Academy of
Neurology 60th annual conference in Chicago.
The
research team evaluated what is known as mild
cognitive impairment, a transition stage between
normal cognitive functioning and dementia, in 1,969
men and women ages 70 to 89. Having mild cognitive
impairment increases the risk of getting
Alzheimer's disease over the next few years, but
not everyone with mild cognitive impairment gets
Alzheimer's.
"We
found that the prevalence of mild cognitive
impairment was higher in men than in women," says
Rosebud Roberts, MD, an associate professor of
epidemiology at Mayo Clinic and a study
co-investigator.
Men
were 1.6 times as likely as women to have the
cognitive problems, she says.
Men, Women, and Memory
Previous studies have tried to evaluate which sex
has the better memory. But the research looking at
sex differences in memory and other cognitive
function has yielded mixed results, Roberts tells
WebMD.
"Some studies have reported sex differences in mild
cognitive impairment," she says, "but the reports
have been inconsistent."
Roberts and her colleagues randomly selected
residents from Olmsted County, Minn., who were ages
70 to 89 at the start of the study in 2004. The
researchers administered cognitive tests, had a
physician examine them, and interviewed them.
The
researchers also talked to someone who knew each
participant well, such as their spouse, to ask about
cognitive functioning. Then they classified them as
having normal cognition, mild impairment, or
dementia.
In
all, 16.7% had mild cognitive impairment, Roberts
found. Men were 1.6 times more likely than women to
have mild cognitive impairment, even after factoring
in such variables as age and marital status.
Interpreting the Findings
The
new findings are at odds with some studies that have
concluded women have more dementia than men, Roberts
says. She isn't certain how to interpret the
findings thoroughly yet. The findings may suggest
that men have a delayed progression from mild
impairment to dementia or that women stay in the
mild-impairment transition phase more briefly,
progressing more quickly than men do to dementia,
she says.
The
risk factors for mild impairment (such as advancing
age) may be different for men, she also speculates,
or they may occur at different phases of life for
men than for women.
"A
person with mild cognitive impairment might have
problems with memory, making decisions, or problem
solving, or problems with language, like finding a
[right] word," Roberts says.
These difficulties are "not severe enough to affect
social functioning or work," she says. "It's not
something you would notice if you didn't live
closely with them."
Second Opinion
The
study is scientifically sound, according to Sam
Gandy, MD, PhD, chairman of the medical and
scientific advisory council for the Alzheimer's
Association, who reviewed the study for WebMD.
But
the increased risk found in the study for men should
be put in perspective, he says. For instance,
carrying a gene known as the apoE4 allele boosts the
risk of getting Alzheimer's, he says. "The gender
effects still take a back seat to the genetic
effects (of getting dementia) in terms of
magnitude," he says.
Both
men and women can improve their lifestyles to reduce their risk of dementia,
says Gandy. He cites a recent study in which having
belly fat as an adult boosted the risk of dementia
later.
"As
for recommendations [to reduce risk], for now,
diet and lifestyle remain the mainstays," he
says. The Alzheimer's Association recommends staying
active mentally, socially, and physically, as well
as adopting a "brain-healthy" diet.
To
qualify as brain-healthy, a diet should be low in
fat and
cholesterol and be rich in dark vegetables and
fruits.
©
WebMD. All rights reserved.
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“We found that the prevalence of mild cognitive
impairment was higher in men than in women” |
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