Why are 2 out of every 3 Alzheimer’s patients women?

May is the month where the spotlight shines on women s wellbeing Did you know nearly two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer s condition are women Related stories Robotic pets offer gentle connection in world of agitation anger confusion for DC dementia patients Up to in people could develop dementia after What you can do to lower your peril Researchers find a hint at how to delay Alzheimer s indicators Now they have to prove it According to the Alzheimer s Association out of the nearly million people aged and older with Alzheimer s dementia in the U S million are women while only million are men Dr Saurabh Sharma a neurology and clinical trial researcher from MedStar Georgetown University Hospital advised WTOP there s a variety of reasons women are more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer s There seems to be particular genetic basis for that that s not fully understood but it may have to do with the role of estrogen Sharma declared There s also the fact that women tend to live longer Sharma pointed out the longer you live the more likely you are to develop Alzheimer s So women in that regard are just more likely to get Alzheimer s Sharma declared Another factor may be according to Sharma that women tend to be more concerned with their healthcare than men Women may be more likely to seek care or maybe more likely to talk about concerns about memory with their provider Sharma reported If you think you or a loved one is having issues with memory Sharma declared talk to your healthcare provider don t wait until it s too late The earlier you identify a predicament if you can attribute it to likely Alzheimer s pathology then we can intervene with treatments that may not be available at later stages Sharma announced A large number of people have heard older family members say they read brain games or crossword puzzles to keep their mind sharp but it may not help as much as picking up a dumbbell The benefits of the brain seem to be related to more cardiovascular and strength training stated Sharma Things like exercise absolutely and eating a heart-healthy diet We do know that these play a really key role in protecting or reducing the danger of dementia or even delaying it so it really comes down to those basics Source