Differences Between Women and Men in Incidence Rates of Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease

J Alzheimers Dis. 2018;64(4):1077-1083. doi: 10.3233/JAD-180141.

Abstract

In the following brief report, we examined gender differences in incidence rates of any dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD) alone, and non-Alzheimer's dementia alone in 16,926 women and men in the Swedish Twin Registry aged 65+. Dementia diagnoses were based on clinical workup and national health registry linkage. Incidence rates of any dementia and AD were greater in women than men, with any dementia rates diverging after age 85 and AD rates diverging around 80. This pattern is consistent with women's survival to older ages compared to men. These findings are similar to incidence rates reported in other Swedish samples.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Swedish Twin Registry; any dementia; gender differences; incidence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age of Onset
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis
  • Alzheimer Disease / epidemiology*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Dementia / diagnosis
  • Dementia / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Sex Characteristics*
  • Sweden / epidemiology