Alzheimer’s Research – Why Do More Women Than Men Get the Disease?

Here at Hart Heritage Assisted Living, we have many residents in our dementia care wings who have Alzheimer’s, so we are always interested in hearing what the latest research projects show.

Currently, 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s. 5.2 million of those are over the age of 65. Almost two-thirds of those living with Alzheimer’s are women. And by the year 2050, there will be 32 million people over the age of 80 in the United States, and unless something big changes, about 16 million will have Alzheimer’s disease.

Well, the Alzheimer’s Association is working hard to make sure something big does change, by funding research. One of their latest initiatives explores why more men than women are living with the disease. They have awarded $2.2 million to nine different research efforts.

The majority of the newly funded research projects will examine relationships between hormones, genetics and the development of Alzheimer’s. Other key themes include differences in men’s and women’s brains that may contribute to the development or progression of the disease, and sex-specific response to Alzheimer’s risk factors.

Read the full news release here.

Hart Heritage Assisted Living serves Harford County Seniors who need help with daily living, or are unable to care for themselves due to dementia. Call 410-638-6047 today to schedule a tour of either or our locations. We also provide respite care to caregivers who need a break.