How Alzheimer's Impacts Men & Women Differently

Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that progressively affects a person's thinking, memory, and language skills, ability to perform tasks, and ability to recognize loved ones. The cause of Alzheimer's is still not fully understood, but it has been determined that some factors, such as age and genetics, may place someone at risk for developing this disease.

In recent years researchers have uncovered new information about how does Alzheimer's impacts men and women differently. These findings are vital in revealing new ways to diagnose, treat, and prevent this debilitating condition.

More About Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive memory loss and brain function loss. As the illness progresses, the sufferer will lose their ability to perform even the simplest of tasks, and their memory will fade until, eventually, all thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are lost. 

How Does Alzheimer's Affect People?
While women have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's, men experience worse cognitive decline. This is not because women are living longer but because brain function deteriorates more rapidly in men than in women.

Investigators have identified several reasons why men and women experience Alzheimer's differently. These reasons are gender differences in brain function, body anatomy, and environmental factors.

Are There Any Differences?
The most striking gender difference between men and women is the hippocampus's size (a brain structure that affects memory). Scientists have found that the hippocampus of a man is about 10% smaller than a female's hippocampus. The reason for this difference has not been determined, but researchers assume it could relate to hormonal differences between men and women. The reason for this difference has not been determined, but researchers believe it could relate to hormonal differences between men and women.

Another essential factor in gender differences in Alzheimer's is the environment. Men tend to work in more dangerous environments and use more tobacco products; they may drink alcohol significantly and experience more stress. These environmental factors are all related to a higher risk of Alzheimer's.

Is There Any Way to Reduce the Chances of Having Alzheimer's?
The good news is that there are ways to reduce your risk of developing one of the most debilitating diseases affecting thousands of people yearly. As women live longer than men, their risk of acquiring Alzheimer's increases exponentially. Taking care of your health by eating healthy, exercising, and managing stress can dramatically reduce your chances of developing this disease.

Getting an accurate diagnosis from a licensed physician is essential if you or someone you know is experiencing cognitive impairment. To help you get the most precise diagnosis, Alzheimer's disease.net provides an excellent series of articles explaining the symptoms, diagnostic criteria, and current research on Alzheimer's.

The most effective way for a person to lessen their risk of getting Alzheimer's disease is through not smoking, reducing their alcohol intake, getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, and reducing stress. As such, a healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce your chances of getting Alzheimer's disease and help you remain independent for extended periods. If you or someone you know is suffering from this debilitating illness, you must take steps to preserve your cognitive abilities.

Many factors, such as stress, anxiety, fatigue, and lack of sleep, can cause concentration and memory problems. The symptoms of both of these conditions are often manageable and easy to treat, but the best remedy for both conditions is a high-quality diet.

What Are the Treatments for Alzheimer's?
There are currently no effective treatment methods, but research is occurring daily, attempting to find new treatments or ways of managing the illness.

Although there is no known cure for Alzheimer's, it has been shown that there are possible preventative measures that may reduce the risk of a person developing the disease. One of these preventive measures is exercise. Research has shown that regular aerobic exercise and resistance training may increase someone's cognitive reserve, which allows a person to cope with mental stress, such as Alzheimer's disease. 

It helps to preserve memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. In addition, some research suggests that adding new and stimulating experiences or environments can also help to decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease by increasing a person's cognitive reserve. This is because it stimulates the brain to produce new growth and more dendrites to strengthen existing synapses.

Alzheimer's for Senior Individuals
Senior Healthcare is recommended for reading for Alzheimer's disease. With the aging population expected to double in the next few decades, Alzheimer's is now one of the biggest health concerns in the world.

Assisted living & memory care is a good resource for Alzheimer's patients and caregivers. We provide excellent tips and advice on handling the day-to-day challenges of caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease.

With so many people suffering from this devastating illness, as many benefits must be gained from research as possible. Therefore, patients must understand what they can do to lessen the risk of developing alzheimers.