Men Are At Higher Risks Of Memory Problems And Alzheimer’s Disease

According to the findings of a new study by the experts of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, modern men are at up to 50 per cent higher risks of suffering from such condition as memory loss, which can lead to very serious health problems like mild cognitive  impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease (dementia) and so on. Experts claim that aging is linked to more memory loss in men, as well as to more speedy loss of some brain skills like planning, judgement, remembering things, or performing easy day-to-day tasks. These findings were recently published in the medical online journal Neurology.

In the framework of the study, the specialists analyzed the data of 1,450 participants aged between 70 and 89. In the beginning of the experiment none of the participants had dementia or a related condition. Then, every 15 months the participants were offered some memory tests, and in three years after the beginning of the experiment, the scientists found out that 296 of the participants developed clear sighs of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition which is connected with with predominant memory loss and usually progresses into Alzheimer’s disease withing a few years at most.

At the same time, the experiments by the Mayo Clinic group have shown that statistically, a number of pre-dementia conditions linked to memory loss and the loss of certain brain skills are registered more in men than in women. Thus, among 1,000 participants there were 72 cases of mild cognitive impairment in men, compared to only 57 cases per 1,000 participants in women. At that, the scientists have found that such important factors as being not married, or having less education play key roles and can increase the risks of dementia in men up to 50 per cent.

‘These  results are surprising, given that women generally have higher rates of  dementia than men,” Dr Rosebud Roberts, one of the authors of the research and a specialist at the Mayo Clinic, commented on the findings. ‘This is disturbing given that people are living longer, and that MCI may have  a large impact on health care costs if increased efforts at prevention are not  used to reduce the risk,’ he added. However, some specialists question the findings of this study and are convinced that men can better resist such conditions as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease because more amounts of physical exercise in men support their mental function more effectively then the same in women.

Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.

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