Alzheimer's Disease Signs & Symptoms: Mental Decline, Deterioration Faster in Women Than Men

A new research reveals that elderly women who exhibit mental impairment akin to early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are more likely to experience mental deterioration faster than their male counterparts.

Researchers of an ongoing study titled, "Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative," found that women deteriorate faster than men. The researchers looked at eight years of record on more than 400 men and women with mild cognitive impairment.

"We found that women decline at almost twice the rate of men and we also found that women have faster acceleration of decline over time," Katherine Amy Lin, a researcher from Duke University Medical Center, told NPR.

Meanwhile, a series of studies were presented on Tuesday at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Washington. One study suggests that women are more vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease and are more likely to deteriorate faster once the symptoms make themselves known in their bodies, reports Washington Post.

The outlet also reported that in more than five million people afflicted with Alzheimer's disease in the United States, more than half of those who are diagnosed are women. Alzheimer's disease is defined as the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer's Association states that it is a progressive and degenerative disease that has currently no cure.

The nonprofit organization has emphasized that the disease has different effects on both sexes. The reported findings during the conference suggested that it may be due to varying biological factors such as biochemistry, brain development and hormonal interactions.

Roberta Diaz Briton, professor at the University of Southern California's School of Pharmacy, told the Post that Alzheimer's risk may be higher in women because of estrogen, since it plays a role in the connection between the brain and its energy supply. Menopause can stop the generation of estrogen, and that may contribute to the development of the disease.

"Every cell—every single cell in your body—has a sex. The X chromosome or the XY chromosome is within all of our cells, and that very likely has an effect on cell function," she said in the report.

CBS News reports that experts have suggested that more research now needs to be done on the cause and effect of Alzheimer's on both genders to find out why women have a higher risk and to develop more treatment options and prevention strategies.

"Women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer's, and there is an urgent need to understand if differences in brain structure, disease progression, and biological characteristics contribute to higher prevalence and rates of cognitive decline," Maria Carrillo, an Alzheimer's Association Chief Scientific, told CBS. "To intervene and help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, it's critical to understand the reasons for these differences."