Men vs. Women: Whose Memory Is Worse?

Study Shows Older Men More Likely to Have Memory Problems Than Older Women

(WebMD)  Men have a reputation for having a bad memory, forgetting birthdays or anniversaries -- or so the stereotype goes. Now, a new study lends some science to the stereotype, at least for older men.

Men 70-plus are more likely than women in that age range to have memory problems and other cognitive impairments, according to researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who presented the finding this week at the American Academy of Neurology 60th annual conference in Chicago.

The research team evaluated what is known as mild cognitive impairment, a transition stage between normal cognitive functioning and dementia, in 1,969 men and women ages 70 to 89. Having mild cognitive impairment increases the risk of getting Alzheimer's disease over the next few years, but not everyone with mild cognitive impairment gets Alzheimer's.

"We found that the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment was higher in men than in women," says Rosebud Roberts, MD, an associate professor of epidemiology at Mayo Clinic and a study co-investigator.

Men were 1.6 times as likely as women to have the cognitive problems, she says.

Men, Women, and Memory

Previous studies have tried to evaluate which sex has the better memory. But the research looking at sex differences in memory and other cognitive function has yielded mixed results, Roberts tells WebMD.

"Some studies have reported sex differences in mild cognitive impairment," she says, "but the reports have been inconsistent."

Roberts and her colleagues randomly selected residents from Olmsted County, Minn., who were ages 70 to 89 at the start of the study in 2004. The researchers administered cognitive tests, had a physician examine them, and interviewed them.

The researchers also talked to someone who knew each participant well, such as their spouse, to ask about cognitive functioning. Then they classified them as having normal cognition, mild impairment, or dementia.

In all, 16.7% had mild cognitive impairment, Roberts found. Men were 1.6 times more likely than women to have mild cognitive impairment, even after factoring in such variables as age and marital status.

Interpreting the Findings

The new findings are at odds with some studies that have concluded women have more dementia than men, Roberts says. She isn't certain how to interpret the findings thoroughly yet. The findings may suggest that men have a delayed progression from mild impairment to dementia or that women stay in the mild-impairment transition phase more briefly, progressing more quickly than men do to dementia, she says.

The risk factors for mild impairment (such as advancing age) may be different for men, she also speculates, or they may occur at different phases of life for men than for women.

"A person with mild cognitive impairment might have problems with memory, making decisions, or problem solving, or problems with language, like finding a [right] word," Roberts says.

These difficulties are "not severe enough to affect social functioning or work," she says. "It's not something you would notice if you didn't live closely with them."

Second Opinion

The study is scientifically sound, according to Sam Gandy, MD, PhD, chairman of the medical and scientific advisory council for the Alzheimer's Association, who reviewed the study for WebMD.

But the increased risk found in the study for men should be put in perspective, he says. For instance, carrying a gene known as the apoE4 allele boosts the risk of getting Alzheimer's, he says. "The gender effects still take a back seat to the genetic effects [of getting dementia] in terms of magnitude," he says.

Both men and women can improve their lifestyles to reduce their risk of dementia, says Gandy. He cites a recent study in which having belly fat as an adult boosted the risk of dementia later.

As for recommendations [to reduce risk], for now, diet and lifestyle remain the mainstays," he says. The Alzheimer's Association recommends staying active mentally, socially, and physically, as well as adopting a "brain-healthy" diet.

To qualify as brain-healthy, a diet should be low in fat and cholesterol and be rich in dark vegetables and fruits.

[inspector231]

I was going to say something but I forgot.
Charles

[dogsoul]

Ya know, when I saw the headline I thought - gee, lemme guess which gender is going to ''win'' - because today, when it''s men vs women - no matter what - it''s either women upstage men or we don''t see the story - period... so when I started to read:

"Men have a reputation for having a bad memory, forgetting birthdays or anniversaries -- or so the stereotype goes. Now, a new study..."

I thought - no way - no WAY they are ACTUALLY going to say men are better at SOMEthing??? And then it finished it off...

"...lends some science to the stereotype"

Ahhhhh - the world is back to the same old...

Now don''t get me wrong, I don''t care about THIS piece - what DOES irritate me is the hypocrisy of the PC world when it comes to gender & race.

[erasmus6]

A woman''''s memory is much better. They can remember something you did thirty years ago, and they make a point to bring it up in EVERY arguement!
Posted by dragonwagon5 at 11:36 AM : Apr 18, 2008

Hahahahaha, you are funny!

[dogsoul]

blow me

"Now don''''t get me wrong, I don''''t care about THIS piece - what DOES irritate me is the hypocrisy of the PC world when it comes to gender & race"

[drputt45]

Men, if you are smart, you just wait until your wife tells you what happened and you agree. If Momma ain''t happy, then nobody is happy.

[dogsoul]

...so you''d prefer something big & juicy to gnaw on I see - well, there are plenty of websites for THAT most likely in your ''favorites'' folder...

[hawksprings]

If you look at Bill and Hillary Clinton to try and decide who''s memory is worse, you would have to say it''s women''s memory that is worse.

Hillary said "I can''t remember" something like 164 times under oath.
And all those woman who''ve come forward accusing Bill of harrassing/groping/rraping them were all wrong in their memories of the events.

So it''s obviously women with the worse memory.

[dogsoul]

...and when you consider the number of random men your mother ''sampled'', it''s even MORE extraordinary that the world is graced with YOUR presence.

consider yourself - owned

[dogsoul]

oooooo - you would have been well served to take a little more time in your response... that was weak my less than ingenius friend. Perhaps you ought to seek out a buddy; say someone who IS actually clever & witty - and let THAT person respond on your BEHALF. That way, you can come across better than the intense nimrod you''ve presented yourself to be thus far.

owned again

[dogsoul]

....um, care to tell me why I would have needed a thesaurus for that post???

Oops, you just gave yourself away buddy - not to worry though... the world needs ditch diggers too

Let this be a lesson to you kiddo - when you mess with the bull, you get the horns...

Now run along before I b*tch slap you around this forum once again....

[displeased]

It''s all that pot...

[husein_pasha]

We remember more! Ny wife for example doesn`t remember what she had told

[displeased]

Shoot, I forgot what I was talking about.

[rational_1]

There are different types of memory. My wife can remember for years every detail of when I screwed up something to tick her off but put her in a car and ask her to drive somewhere and she''s like a deer caught in headlights.

[displeased]

Posted by rational_1,

Folks remember emotionally charged events better than boring ones. Next time she can''t remember directions, just scream at her and cause trauma. That should fix the problem.

[apprxam]

My wife, without fail, tells me my memory sux....what were we talking about?

[rushman71]

Duuuude, what were we talking about. Hey maaaan, pass the chips. I f****** baked, dude!!!
I need some brownies, maaaan!!!

[rushman71]

I only have one thing on my mind right now.......brownies..........

[erasmus6]

Posted by Husein_Pasha at 03:49 PM : Apr 18, 2008

Is that you, Abdoul? Did you change your name?

[erasmus6]

"Guess who has the winker better not answer this one" Posted by aheadace

What the hell is a winker?

[erasmus6]

"So it''''s obviously women with the worse memory." Posted by hawksprings

hawksprings

I think you have been snorting your BBQ and SUV fumes for too long.:)

[displeased]

What the hell is a winker?
Posted by erasmus6

I was assuming *** but I usually assume wrong.

[displeased]

What the hell is a winker?
Posted by erasmus6

Try this again...I was assuming male reproductive organ, but I usually assume wrong.

[erasmus6]

...I was assuming male reproductive organ, but I usually assume wrong.
Posted by Displeased at 05:02 PM : Apr 18, 2008

Wow, that is a new one. I haven''t heard that one before.

[ajmarine1]

erasmus,


A special woman?


There''s the women I''d have s*x with,
and there''s the women I''d wanna have s*x with,
and there''s the women I have s*x with.

And then there''s you.


Tim McLaughlin



Until 1:00 AM.

[erasmus6]

Posted by AJMarine1 at 09:35 PM : Apr 18, 2008

I don''t know what to say.

You have brought tears to my eyes.


Could you feel me? I hope so.

[godofredo29]

I blame myself.

[erasmus6]

"And then there''''s you."

Posted by AJMarine1 at 09:35 PM : Apr 18, 2008

Wait....does that mean I''m the one you DON''T want to have s-e-x with?:)