Alzheimer's and dementia are twice as common in women as in men.
According to Milli.Az, scientists have focused on this difference in new studies. Researchers at Boston University analyzed the genetic structure of more than 10 women.
It has been revealed why Alzheimer's disease is more common in women.
They identified a gene called MGMT, carried by about 6 percent of the general population, which genetically predisposes women to dementia but does not have the same effect in men carrying this dementia.
According to the study, women carrying this gene have a 44 percent higher chance of developing Alzheimer's disease. Lead author Dr. Lindsay Farrer stated: "This may be the clearest finding suggesting that the risk of Alzheimer's in women could be related to a genetic risk factor."
There are 900 dementia patients in the United Kingdom, and this number is projected to reach 1.6 million by 2040.
Dementia is the cause of death for one in eight women and one in eight men in Great Britain.
However, experts believe that about 40 percent of dementia cases can be prevented, as they stem from lifestyle factors such as obesity and lack of exercise.