Men more likely to develop memory-related issues, study says

A new study revelead that men may be more vulnerable to developing memory problems as they get older, MSNBC reports. The new research, which was published in the journal Neurology, found that men are 1.5 times more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment than women.


According to the news source, mild cognitive impairment is a condition that is often thought of as a precursor to Alzheimer's disease, and causes individuals to experience problems with memory and thinking that are more severe than those caused by the aging process.

"This is the first study conducted among community-dwelling persons to find a higher prevalence of MCI in men," study researcher Ronald Petersen told the news outlet.


While the results will need to be confirmed by further studies, they provide insight into the development of mental illnesses. The results of the study also underscore the importance of early detection and finding an effective course of treatment for Alzheimer's patients.


According to the Alzheimer's Association, the mental illness affects 5.3 million Americans, and deaths caused by the disease rose more than 46 percent from 2000 to 2006.


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