Old age and memory loss coincide in men--study

Don't blame your man the next time he forgets your birthday or anniversary as a new study proves that men are exposed to higher incidences of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) than women.
According to National Institute of Health, mild cognitive impairment is the transitional stage between normal forgetfulness due to aging and the onset of dementia.
The study found that mild cognitive impairment or MCI is 1.5 times higher in men.
Study details
For the study, first of its kind, researchers from Mayo Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in Rochester, Minnesota, tracked 2,050 people in the age bracket of 70 to 89.
The subjects were interviewed about their memory and their medical history and tested on their memory and thinking skills.
"This is the first study conducted among community-dwelling persons to find a higher prevalence of MCI in men," said study author Dr. Ronald Peterson, with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Researchers also took into account factors like education, age, and diseases like diabetes and hypertension.
Around 15 percent of people with mild cognitive impairment suffer from dementia each year, compared to general population, where the number is between one and two percent.
Study findings
It was found that 19 percent of men developed mild cognitive impairment in comparison to only 14 percent of women.
Previous studies suggest that the rate of Alzheimer’s disease risk in these individuals is approximately 10 percent to 15 percent per year.
Slight cognitive problems with declining age is normal, but men run a higher risk of an impaired memory than their women counterparts in old age, marked the study.
Interestingly, the study results came as a surprise since women are more prone to Alzheimer's disease.
"If these results are confirmed in other studies, it may suggest that factors related to gender play a role in the disease. For example, men may experience cognitive decline earlier in life but more gradually, whereas women may transition from normal memory directly to dementia at a later age but more quickly," Peterson explained.
Conversely, 10 percent had dementia and 76 percent of the subjects tested showed normal memory and thinking skills.
In fact, people who had a low level of education or were unmarried also had a higher rate of MCI.
The study has been published in 'Neurology,' the medical journal of American Academy of Neurology.
Experts' word of advise
While there are no drugs available to treat mild cognitive impairment, Petersen suggested lifestyle changes can have a positive effect.
Experts recommend reading, rejoicing by going to the movies, keeping up with friends and family, eating healthy foods, and being physically active.
"There are more and more data coming out indicating that some of these lifestyle modifications may work," he said.