Why Are Women More Vulnerable to Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease?

Women not only face higher rates of diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, but are also shown to be more vulnerable to several modifiable risk factors that can trigger cognitive decline. A new study from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, analysing data from more than 17,000 middle-aged and older adults, found that dementia risk factors that can be changed have a larger impact on women’s cognitive function than on men’s. The findings were published on 19 May 2026 in the journal Biology of Sex Differences.

‘Talking beyond which risk factors are most common, we found that some factors have a much larger impact on women’s cognition,’ said Megan Fitzhugh, PhD, assistant professor of neuroscience at UC San Diego School of Medicine and the first author of the study. ‘This suggests that prevention efforts may be more effective if tailored not only to the prevalence of risk factors but also to how strongly each factor affects cognition in women compared with men.’

The researchers examined 13 dementia risk factors that can be modified through medical treatment or lifestyle adjustments. Based on the analysis, women reported higher rates of the following conditions:

Conversely, men showed higher rates of hearing loss (64% vs 50%), diabetes (24% vs 21%), and heavy alcohol use (22% vs 12%). Hypertension was widespread in both groups, affecting around six in ten participants.

However, what surprised researchers was how these factors affected the brain. Conditions related to cardiovascular and metabolic health, including hypertension and a high body mass index, showed a sharper negative association with cognitive ability in women. Even hearing loss and diabetes, more common in men, were linked to lower cognitive scores when experienced by women.

‘Differences like these highlight the importance of considering sex as a key variable in dementia research,’ said Judy Pa, PhD, professor of neuroscience at UC San Diego School of Medicine. ‘Sex differences are often overlooked in many leading causes of death such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and cancer.’

The findings support a precision medicine approach tailored to individual characteristics, including sex. For women, targeted interventions could focus on managing depression, increasing physical activity, and addressing cardiovascular health, particularly untreated hypertension.

Although the precise mechanisms—such as hormonal influences or genetic differences—still require further study, understanding these factors is a crucial step in reducing dementia incidence.

‘Ultimately, a more nuanced understanding of these differences can help us design smarter, more targeted interventions,’ concluded Fitzhugh. ‘It is essential to reducing the burden of dementia for everyone, but especially for women, who are disproportionately affected.’ (Source: ScienceDaily)