• Cardiovascular

    Change in memory test scoring could help women be diagnosed earlier with Alzheimer’s disease

a middle-aged woman looking concerned and holding a small piece of paper, perhaps a list or reminder note, with her hand to her head trying to remember something

When it comes to Alzheimer’s disease, men are typically diagnosed earlier than women. But why? New research suggests it might be the test used to score a person’s memory. Women are stronger at verbal memory performance, potentially masking early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. A study published recently in American Academy of Neurology suggests that adjusting the test scoring to consider women's skill at verbal memory performance could help women be diagnosed earlier with Alzheimer's and it's precursor, mild cognitive impairment.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Michelle Mielke, a Mayo Clinic epidemiologist and an author on the study, will explain how memory testing is used to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. Also on the program, Dr. Matthew Carlson, a Mayo Clinic otorhinolaryngologist, and Dr. Aniket Saoji, a Mayo Clinic audiologist, will discuss cochlear implants for adults. Then Dr. Richa Sood, a Mayo Clinic general internal medicine physician, will explain why optimism is good for your health. And Dr. Paul Friedman and Dr. Suraj Kapa — both Mayo Clinic cardiologists — will explain how artificial intelligence (AI) and an EKG can predict your physiological age.

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Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

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