Men more at risk

Twice the risk for men London - Arabstoday Men may be at higher risk of developing mild memory loss that can lead to  Alzheimer’s than women, say researchers. A new study shows men had up to twice the risk of losing memory and other brain skills such as planning and carrying out complex tasks in later life. Experts say around half of people with a condition known as mild cognitive  impairment (MCI) develop Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. In cases of MCI, a person has cognitive or memory problems which are more marked than typical age-related memory loss, but not yet as severe as those found in Alzheimer’s disease. The new findings come from a US study of 1,450 people between the ages of 70 and 89 who did not have dementia. They underwent memory testing every 15 months for an average of three years, when 296 people had developed MCI. The study found the number of new cases of dementia each year was higher in men. Overall, there were 64 cases per 1,000 people, but 72 cases per 1,000 men  compared with 57 per 1,000 women. People who had less education or were not married also had higher rates of MCI, said the study published online in the medical journal Neurology (must credit). However, men were at twice the risk for a form of MCI which leads to problems  in planning, judgement and carrying out complex tasks and  is less likely to progress to Alzheimer’s disease than MCI with predominant memory loss. Study leader Dr Rosebud Roberts, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, said ‘These  results are surprising, given that women generally have higher rates of  dementia than men. ‘The risk of MCI in men and women combined was high in this age group of  elderly persons. ‘This is disturbing given that people are living longer, and that MCI may have  a large impact on health care costs if increased efforts at prevention are not  used to reduce the risk.’ Dr Celeste de Jager, senior neuropsychologist, OPTIMA (Oxford Project to  Investigate Memory and Ageing), University of Oxford, said some experts had  suggested men might resist development and progression of dementia more than  women. ‘For instance, men benefit from exercise more in terms of cognitive health than women, while for women exercise delays death’ she said. There were conflicting results from some other studies, she said, so men should  not get ‘overly concerned’ about their relative risk of dementia as compared to women’s risk if they are experiencing memory problems. Derek Hill, Professor of Medical Imaging Science, University College London, said ‘More women get dementia than men. Yet this new research shows that more  men than women develop a complaint called Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI),   frequently an early warning sign of dementia. ‘By the time people get clinical dementia, it may well be too late to treat  them. People with MCI are known to be at high risk of developing dementia. ‘This study shows that MCI is a very complicated mix of factors, and that  different types of MCI arise and progress quite differently. This information  could be important in improving diagnosis to identify patients who will benefit  from current or future treatments.’ Dr Anne Corbett, Research Manager, Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘Increasing our  understanding of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) could help us unravel the many mysteries still surrounding Alzheimer’s disease and move uscloser to  treatments and a cure. ‘This exciting research adds to previous evidence that men could be more  susceptible to MCI than women. However we now need further research into why this is the case.’ Dr Marie Janson, Director of Development at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said  ‘These surprising results suggest that men may be at greater risk for MCI  despite having a lower risk for dementia, and it will be important to see  whether further studies can replicate these findings. ‘A key goal for research is to identify why some people with MCI develop  dementia while others don’t. If we can understand why some people have a  greater risk for cognitive decline and dementia, we stand a better chance of  being able to prevent the condition.’