--- title: Alzheimer's Study Shows Women Slip Into Dementia Faster Than Men description: The reasons remain unclear at this point, authors note. canonical: https://time.com/3965890/women-alzheimers-men/ author: Tanya Basu article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-21T15:15:39.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:06:20.413Z article:section: Health og:title: Study Finds That Women Slip Into Dementia Faster Than Men og:description: Women's test scores fell 2 points per year, compared to 1 point for men. og:url: https://time.com/3965890/women-alzheimers-men/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d09ef693c778245/69885bbce53aba1bfd4deb17/dementia.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5760 og:image:height: 3240 og:image:alt: Senior woman covering face with her hands og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Study Finds That Women Slip Into Dementia Faster Than Men twitter:description: Women's test scores fell 2 points per year, compared to 1 point for men. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3d09ef693c778245/69885bbce53aba1bfd4deb17/dementia.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Study Finds That Women Slip Into Dementia Faster Than Men > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=04e4376c-6e4b-4fbb-a1a3-e8b7cea1cf04&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Ground Breaking Women Alzheimer's Study [Watch (HLS stream): Ground Breaking Women Alzheimer's Study](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/7CumxY4I.m3u8) (1:54)  _Published 2014-03-19. A new Alzheimer's Association study finds that women far more susceptable to the disease than men._  by [Tanya Basu](https://time.com/author/tanya-basu/)  ## Tanya Basu Jul 21, 2015 3:15 PM UTC  Senior woman covering face with her hands Senior woman covering face with her hands Getty Images  by [Tanya Basu](https://time.com/author/tanya-basu/)  ## Tanya Basu Jul 21, 2015 3:15 PM UTC Women who develop slight memory deficits and mental decline slide faster toward dementia than men, according to a new study presented Tuesday at the [Alzheimer’s Association International Conference](https://www.alz.org/aaic/) in Washington. Researchers were quick to note that the study’s findings aren’t reflective of a difference in brain chemistry between genders and have no medical implications just yet. “All we can say at this point is that there appears to be a faster trajectory for women than men” in the direction of dementia, said P. Murali Doraiswamy, a professor of psychiatry at Duke University’s Institute for Brain Sciences and lead author of the study. The study used cognitive test scores from 398 participants of both genders who were primarily in their 70s. After controlling for outside variables like education and genetics, the researchers found that women’s test scores fell by an average of two points per year, compared to just one point for men. This wasn’t the only negative effect for women: their standard of life—how they performed at home, work, and with family—also fell faster than men. A vast majority—nearly two-thirds of the five million Americans afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease—are women, which scientists note can be traced to the fact that women live longer, but the reasons for their decline have remained indeterminate. \[[New York _Times_\]](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/22/health/women-decline-toward-dementia-faster-than-men-study-suggests.html?partner=socialflow&smid=tw-nytimes&%5Fr=1) ## Transcript [ NOISE ] The Breast Cancer Walks. The ribbons, the White House lit up in pink. I love the people around me. Like most women, Marilyn White had seen these symbols [ SOUND ]. She knew she should be concerned about breast cancer [ SOUND ]. But not Alzheimers disease. Alzheimers was not on my radar. I, you know I, I don't know why I had never paid any attention to it, but I guess in being busy it never dawned on me ooh [ INAUDIBLE ]. White was diagnosed with Alzheimer's two years ago. And it should have been on her radar and on all women's radars, according to a new report from the Alzheimer's Association. If finds that women in the 60s are about twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's Disease than they are to get Breast Cancer. And Alzheimer's Disease affects women more than men, almost two out of every three Alzheimer's patients are women. That's me. When she was younger, White felt invincible. She was an accomplished athlete. Brought home a silver medal in track and field at the 1964 Olympics. I'm right here. Now 69 years old, she wishes she had been more aware of Alzheimer's. It would've helped me, if I. News stage- by- stage what could happen. I think I would have caught it sooner. I would have recognize it sooner, and maybe been able to start a medication or something sooner. She was more aware of breast cancer [ CROSSTALK ] and found a lump in her breast. It was cancer. Now the cancer's gone. And Marilyn's a five- year survivor. But sadly, her Alzheimer's disease won't be going away. There are no effective treatments. Doctors [ CROSSTALK ] who treat Alzheimer's say more money and awareness can change that [ SOUND ]. They're competing with other diseases for dwindling research funds hoping to make their case for more money [ CROSSTALK ] for a cure. 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