A major study published in PNAS has found that men’s brains shrink faster with age than women’s, but this does not explain why women are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers at the University of Oslo, led by Anne Ravndal, analyzed over 12,600 MRI scans from 4,700 healthy individuals aged 17 to 95. The team discovered that men experience steeper losses in brain regions tied to memory and movement, such as the parahippocampal cortex, putamen, and caudate nucleus. Women, however, showed more ventricular expansion, a general sign of brain aging.
Despite these differences, both sexes showed similar hippocampal decline, the area most linked to Alzheimer’s, meaning faster male brain aging isn’t the cause of women’s higher dementia rates.
Scientists suggest the gender gap may stem from longer female lifespans, genetic factors like APOE ε4, and social or diagnostic differences, calling for deeper research into sex-specific risks and prevention strategies.
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