Understanding Dementia in Women: Risk, Symptoms, Age of Onset, and Prevention
Dementia is often discussed as though it affects men and women equally, but the data tells a different story. Women account for roughly two-thirds of all dementia cases worldwide — a disparity that cannot be explained by longevity alone. Understanding why women are disproportionately affected, what the early warning signs look like, when risk rises, and what actually moves the needle on prevention is one of the more important conversations in women's health that still doesn't get enough mainstream attention. Here is what the research currently shows. The Gender Gap in Dementia: More Than Just Lifespan The most commonly offered explanation for women's higher dementia burden is that women live longer, and dementia risk rises steeply with age. This is partly true — age is the single strongest risk factor for dementia, and women's greater longevity does contribute to higher absolute case numbers. But studies that control for age still find elevated rates of Alzheimer...