
09/29/2025
The Gender Gap in Alzheimer's
Recent research published in JAMA reveals that approximately two-thirds of Alzheimer's patients are women, who not only develop the disease more frequently but experience it differently—with faster tau accumulation and more rapid cognitive decline despite similar amyloid β levels. https://tinyurl.com/383m94pz
Harvard neuropsychologist Rachel Buckley, PhD, noted. “Women actually tend to live with dementia for much longer than men.”
Perhaps most concerning for treatment equity: clinical trials show women may benefit 31% less from breakthrough antiamyloid therapies than men. Meanwhile, the APOE4 genetic variant increases Alzheimer's risk more substantially in women, and even common risk factors like diabetes and poor sleep appear to impact women's cognition disproportionately.
The challenge for medicine will be less about applying universal approaches and more about recognizing these fundamental s*x differences in research, prevention, and treatment.
Starting next spring, we will feature a series on memory care, highlighting the latest research, innovative therapies, and expert discussions on the multifactorial causes of dementia.
More research can be accessed here https://tinyurl.com/bdcbmz3p
https://tinyurl.com/bdcbmz3p