September is World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Alzheimer’s disease may not be the first thing people think of when it comes to women’s health during September World’s Alzheimer’s awareness month, but experts say now is the time for women to think about the disease.

According to experts, women make up two-thirds of those diagnosed with the disease. They say certain factors put women more at risk and understanding them will help scientists ask the right questions in their research.

“Women may be impacted to a great extent by some genetic risks,” says Doctor Jessica Caldwell, director of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Research Center, “There are also things like exercise, on average women exercise half as much as men and other things like menopause that men don’t go through that might be particularly meaningful for women’s brain aging later on.”

Research does show that 40% of Alzheimer’s disease cases may be preventable by lifestyle changes. That means working out and eating a Mediterranean diet.

For more information and resources, you can reach out to the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern Nevada or Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement Prevention & Research Center.

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