Dementia is the leading cause of death for women in Australia – but you may be surprised to learn why women experience dementia at higher rates than men.
Women live longer than men – and age is the main risk factor – but new research finds that women’s unique experiences can also affect their chances of developing dementia.
A study led by Jessica Gong, of the George Institute for Global Health, UNSW, found early and late menopause, a younger age at first birth, and hysterectomy were associated with a greater dementia risk.
“One of the unique experiences women have to go through is the reproductive lifespan … and fluctuation in female hormones depending on these reproductive events,” said Ms Gong, a PhD Student.
Previous research has found that the hormone oestrogen may be neuroprotective and affects the brain regions that are crucial to higher cognitive functions (like memory). Its levels vary depending on reproductive events like menstruation, pregnancy and menopause.
The research, published in PLOS Medicine, looked at the data of 273,240 women without dementia who were part of the large-scale health database UK Biobank. It analysed the relationship between the life events that influence oestrogen levels and the risk of dementia over 11 years.
According to Ms Gong, the strongest risk factor was was having given birth at a young age.
“If you had birth before the age of 21 compared with 25 or 26 it’s about 1.436 times higher [risk],” she said.
Ms Gong added she did not want women to worry, stating the point of her observational study is to recognise the sex-specific risk for dementia and “ensure the future strategies are sex- and gender-sensitive, to promote health equity”.
