Scientists Offer New Clues on Why Alzheimer's Risk Differs for Women and Men

Scientists at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference announced Tuesday that their research may shed light on why women are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than men, reports USA Today . Two-thirds of people with Alzheimer's in the United States are women, and women are more likely to develop Alzheimer's than men at all ages. The researchers identified several sex-specific genes found in females that may be related to greater risk for Alzheimer's — biological clues that may influence how the brain disease progresses in women. Their research also suggested that Alzheimer's may spread differently in women's brains than men's brains.