Katharina Buczek
When the researchers analyzed these factors, though, they did not uncover a gender gap. Instead, factors such as older age, depression, hearing impairment, diabetes, and a specific genetic variation known as APOE4– which is tied to fat metabolism in the brain– were all associated with higher dementia risk among both men and women.
Additionally, having more years of education, high physical activity, and higher hip circumference were linked to lower dementia risk among both groups.
“But there was moderate evidence for a [gender] difference with years spent in education, indicating a stronger protective association for men than women,” Gong noted.
This led the authors to argue that women in LMICs have not received equal educational and professional opportunities as men– which is an issue since attaining higher education and obtaining mentally stimulating professions was shown to be a protective measure against dementia.
Sanne Peters, a research team member and senior lecturer at The George Institute for Global Health UK, explained how this could lead to a domino effect.
She claimed that institutional factors limiting women’s opportunities, decreased access to healthcare and risk management programs, and other factors like domestic violence among women in low socioeconomic environments can cause psychological stress and lead to poor financial conditions. Afterward, this ultimately impacts women’s cognitive health later in life.
“In general, the geographical patterns that we saw for increased dementia risk in women seemed to echo those of gender disparity,” Peters said.
“These findings justify support for programs to improve gender equity in brain health throughout the life course, particularly in populations that have been previously underrepresented in dementia research.”
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, visit the link here.
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