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Women have farther to fall: gender differences between normal elderly and Alzheimer’s disease in verbal memory engender better detection of Alzheimer’s disease in women

Authors

Chapman, Robert M., Mapstone, Mark, Gardner, Margaret N., Sandoval, Tiffany C., McCrary, John W., Guillily, Maria D., Reilly, Lindsey A., DeGrush, Elizabeth

Journal

Journal Of The International Neuropsychological Society: JINS, Volume: 17, No.: 4, Pages.: 654-662

Year of Publication

2011

Abstract

We analyzed verbal episodic memory learning and recall using the Logical Memory (LM) subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-III to determine how gender differences in AD compare to those seen in normal elderly and whether or not these differences impact assessment of AD. We administered the LM to both an AD and a Control group, each comprised of 21 men and 21 women, and found a large drop in performance from normal elders to AD. Of interest was a gender interaction whereby the women’s scores dropped 1.6 times more than the men’s did. Control women on average outperformed Control men on every aspect of the test, including immediate recall, delayed recall, and learning. Conversely, AD women tended to perform worse than AD men. Additionally, the LM achieved perfect diagnostic accuracy in discriminant analysis of AD versus Control women, a statistically significantly higher result than for men. The results indicate the LM is a more powerful and reliable tool in detecting AD in women than in men.;

Keywords

aged, alzheimer disease, complications, diagnosis, etiology, female, humans, learning, male, memory, memory disorders, mental recall, neuropsychological tests, physiology, psychology, sex characteristics, verbal learning

Countries of Study

USA

Types of Dementia

Alzheimer’s Disease

Types of Study

Non randomised controlled trial

Type of Interventions

Diagnostic Target Identification

Diagnostic Targets

Cognition testing (inc. task driven tests such as clock drawing)