Memory problems more common in men

Slight cognitive problems like forgetting people's names or misplacing items plague older men than women.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) falls in between normal forgetfulness and dementia. People with mild cognitive impairment have problems with thinking and memory, but they can still carry on everyday activities. Although not everyone with mild cognitive impairment develops dementia, some people do, which makes it a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers in America studied 1,969 aged 70 to 89 years old people to investigate the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment. Patients were assessed via the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale, a neurologic evaluation, and neuropsychological testing of memory, executive function, language, and visuo-spatial skills.

It was found that about 16% of the seniors had cognitive problems beyond the signs of normal aging, including Alzheimer's. Nineteen percent of men had so-called mild cognitive impairment, compared to only 14 percent of women. Even after accounting for differences in education, age, and diseases like diabetes and hypertension, men had about 50 percent higher odds than women of having mild cognitive impairment.

The researchers state that if these results are confirmed in other studies, it may suggest that factors related to gender play a role in the disease. For example, men may experience cognitive decline earlier in life but more gradually, whereas women may transition from normal memory directly to dementia at a later age but more quickly.