Cognitive Deterioration Occurs Rapidly in Aging Men, Study Finds

Sharon Moore April 12, 2016

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It has long been held that cognitive function declines with age. Now, new research reveals that this process takes place at a much faster rate in men than in women. 

The study, carried out by experts from National Institute on Aging, looked at verbal learning, memory and fluent language production and other areas involved in cognitive function in humans. It found that cognitive deterioration occurs much earlier and faster in men. 

The differences between the cognitive abilities of men and women have long been reported. For instance, it has long been held that men outperform women at some mental tasks.  

The present study involved 2,000 participants aged 50-90 years who didn’t have cognitive impairment and were part of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. They were repeatedly tested over a nine-year period, with focus on mental skills like verbal learning and memory, figural memory, language, attention, percept motor speed and integration, executive function and visuospatial ability. 

Findings revealed that men outperformed men on tasks relating to visuospatial ability – while females outperformed males in most other tests of cognition. 

Yet, over time, men showed steeper rates of decline in tests measuring mental status, percept motor speed and integration and visuospatial ability. 

‘Taken together, our observations are consistent with some prior longitudinal studies demonstrating less rapid decline in older women compared with men for specific cognitive domains.’ the researchers wrote. The study suggested that aging could be potentially influenced by sex differences in regional brain structures. 

Furthermore, the study found that men had lower cortical thickness, exhibit greater age-related reductions in frontal and temporal brain volumes and experience age-related cortical thinning at a higher rate than women. 

The study was published in the journal Psychology and Aging. 

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Decline in memory and intellect that comes with aging happens ’earlier and FASTER in men than women’