Men 'more likely' to encounter cognitive problems as they age
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Posted on Apr 16, 2008, 8 p.m.
By Jeanelle Topping
Cognitive impairment associated with aging, such as memory problems and early signs of dementia seems to affect older men more than older women, according to scientists in the US.
Cognitive impairment associated with aging, such as memory problems and early signs of dementia seems to affect older men more than older women, according to scientists in the US.
Research conducted at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, found that men were 1.6 times more likely to have mild cognitive impairment than women, regardless of education or marital status.
Commenting on the study, research co-investigator Dr Rosebud Roberts, associate professor of epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic and member of the American Academy of Neurology, said: "This is one of the first studies to determine the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment among men and women who have been randomly selected from a community to participate in the study."
In an attempt to offer an explanation for the findings, she suggested that maybe "there's a delayed progression to dementia in men or women may develop dementia at a faster rate than men".
The Alzheimer's Association recommends older people maintain a rich social and physically active lifestyle in addition to following a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.
