Higher risk of mild cognitive impairment among older men

February, 2012

Significant differences in the risk of mild cognitive impairment for men and women, and in the risk of developing the two sub-types, suggests that risk factors should be considered separately for genders and sub-type.

More data from the long-running Mayo Clinic Study of Aging has revealed that, in this one part of the U.S. at least, MCI develops at an overall rate of 6.4% a year among older adults (70+), with a higher rate for men and the less-educated.

The study involved 1,450 older adults (aged 70-89), who underwent memory testing every 15 months for an average of three years. By the end of the study period, 296 people had developed MCI, a rate of 6.4% per year. For men, the rate was 7.2% compared to 5.7% for women.

It should be noted that these rates apply to a relatively homogeneous group of people. Participants come from one county in Minnesota, an overwhelmingly white part of the U.S.

MCI comes in two types: amnestic (involving memory loss) and non-amnestic. Amnestic MCI was more than twice as common as non-amnestic MCI. The incidence rate of aMCI was also higher for men (4.4%) than women (3.3%), as was the risk of naMCI (2% vs 1.1%).

Those who had less education also had higher rates of MCI. For aMCI, the rate for those with 12 years or less of education was 4.3%, compared to 3.25% for those with more education. Similarly, for naMCI, the rates were 2% and 1%, respectively.

While the great majority of people diagnosed with MCI continued to have the disorder or progressed to dementia, some 12% were later re-diagnosed as not having it. This, I would presume, probably reflects temporary ‘dips’ in cognitive performance as a consequence of physical or emotional problems.

The differences between aMCI and naMCI, and between genders, suggest that risk factors for these should be considered separately.

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