Alzheimer’s Disease is a common cognitive disease for older adults. About 6.2 million Americans aged 65 and older suffer from this disease. Unfortunately, women are even more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, with two-thirds of people with the illness being women.
Women generally live longer than men
There are many reasons women are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. One of them is the fact that women typically live longer than men. A female child born in 2019 could live five more years than a boy born in the same year.
Unfortunately, this means that women are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s as the older you are, the more susceptible you are to the disease. For instance, about 76 out of 1000 people in a group aged 85 and above are likely to get Alzheimer’s. However, only 4 of 1000 will develop the disease in those aged 65-75.
However, a longer life span can’t be the only reason why women are more prone to Alzheimer’s. In a group of men and women of the same age, the women are still more likely to develop the illness.
Notably, women are not more likely to develop any dementia type illness other than Alzheimer’s. Scientists believe this could explain why the incidence of dementia caused by Alzheimer’s is higher in women.
Women can produce more amyloid plaques
Scientists also blame amyloid for why women are more likely to have Alzheimer’s. Amyloid is present in the brains of people with the disease. Experts believe the brain produces it to fight infection.
Since women have stronger immunity than men, they are more susceptible to autoimmune disorders. As a result, they could produce more amyloid plaques to fight off infection leading to Alzheimer’s disease.
While many scientists accept this theory, there is very little evidence to support it. For this reason, more research is necessary for the topic.
Fortunately, scientists acknowledge that being a woman does not automatically mean you will develop Alzheimer’s. Both men and women could participate in activities that reduce their likelihood of developing the illness. These include aerobic exercises, getting proper sleep, eating Mediterranean foods, and participating in activities that help maintain your cognitive abilities.
