Sex differences and modifiable dementia risk factors synergistically influence memory over the adult lifespan.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

More women than men develop Alzheimer's disease, yet women perform better and show less decline on episodic memory measures, a contradiction that may be accounted for by modifiable risk factors for dementia.

Methods

Associations among age, sex, modifiable dementia risk factors, and cognition were measured in a cross-sectional online sample (n = 21,840, ages 18 to 89).

Results

Across four tests of associative memory and executive functions, only a Face-Name Association task revealed sex differences in associative memory that varied by age. Men had worse memory than women (the equivalent of performing similar to someone 4 years older) across ages. Men had larger age differences than women (ie, worse memory in older ages) among people with no to one r

SUBMITTER: LaPlume AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8973898 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature