Source: NPR
Researchers at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Los Angeles last week reported that they may have discovered clues as to why women are more likely to be affected by the disease.
One main finding was that a particular toxic protein (tau) found in the brain more easily jumps from one region of the brain to the next in women than in men. Because researchers believe the disease itself develops by spreading across regions of the brain, tau facilitates the aggressive development of the disease in women.
Another study looked at how working outside of the home affected the brains of women, and found that those who had worked in their earlier years had a slower memory decline, as reported by NPR.
Overall, researchers said that social, biological and genetic differences likely play important roles in the development of Alzheimer’s.
Read Full Story: NPR