Risk factors for Alzheimer's in men and women

A French study of 7,000 people over the age of 65 looked into the risk factors for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) which can develop into Alzheimer's disease. Men with MCI were more likely to be overweight, diabetic and to have had a stroke and men who had had a stroke were almost three times as likely to progress from MCI to Alzheimer's. Women with MCI were more likely to be in poorer general health, disabled, suffering from insomnia and to have a poorer support network. Women unable to perform routine daily tasks, which would allow them to live without assistance, were 3.5 times as likely to progress to Alzheimer's and those who were depressed were twice as likely to do so. Stroke was not a risk factor for women, despite a similar rate of occurence in both sexes.

The research was published, ahead of print, in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry