Many theories exist as to the cause of Alzheimer’s disease, but one thing scientists know for certain: Women are being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia at almost twice the rate of men. According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2011 report, 5.4 million women in india are living with Alzheimer’s and 90 percent of this cases are undiagnosed..
Symptoms and side effects of the disease also appear to affect men and women differently.
- Men often become more aggressive. This may manifest itself in verbal, physical or even sexual aggression. Men also are prone to wander and can become socially inappropriate more so than women.
- Women are apt to become more emotional and reclusive. They are more likely to begin hoarding things and often suffer from depression and even delusions. Crying spells are not uncommon and periods of extreme anxiousness can occur.
New Studies
Researchers have recently found that hormones may play a significant role in the increased risk of Alzheimer’s among women. Estrogen is important for maintaining nerve networks in the brain. Estrogen may offer protection against Alzheimer’s disease in post-menopausal women.
One large study of almost 100,000 post-menopausal women found that those women taking estrogen had a much longer life and an almost 40% lower occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease than those who did not take estrogen supplements.
Because estrogen supplements can also have negative consequences, including increased tumor risk, skin cancer and weight gain, you should certainly speak with your doctor before even considering hormone therapy.
- Sukhada
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