Women & Alzheimer's

f the many mysteries surrounding Alzheimer’s, one of the most puzzling is why more women than men develop the disease (spoiler alert: it is not simply because women tend to live longer than men). In the United States, nearly two-thirds of the more than 6 million people living with Alzheimer’s — or about 3.8 million individuals — are women. A woman's estimated lifetime risk of developing Alzheimer's at age 65 is 1 in 5. As real of a concern as breast cancer is to women's health, women in their 60s are about twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's during the rest of their lives as they are to develop breast cancer. While more research is needed, recent studies support a possible theory that events that happen across someone’s lifespan — like those associated with reproduction — may impact their dementia risk. Nonbiological factors may be at play as well. Work and family patterns, which have changed drastically over the last 100 years, may play a role in a woman’s memory decline. Women who participated in the paid labor force between early adulthood and middle age experienced slower memory decline in late life, building on previous research that associates work and education with higher levels of cognitive engagement.

Just as with any disease, early detection is critical. Talk to your doctor. Educate yourself on the early warning signs. Learn about ways to possibly reduce your risk of developing dementia. Visit alz.org/training for free on-demand education, or call 800.272.3900 to talk to someone 24/7.