102: How to Protect Women's Brains from Aging and Disease | Lisa Mosconi, PhD

Gender Bias

Lisa Mosconi highlights the critical gender differences in diagnosing and treating brain diseases like Alzheimer's. She explains that women's brains often show symptoms later than men's, leading to underdiagnosis and delayed treatment. This disparity is partly due to historical biases in medical research, where women were often excluded, leading to a lack of gender-specific data.

Women tend to get Alzheimer's in their brains earlier than men. However, we don't show it as much because our brains just function differently.

--- Lisa Mosconi

Max Lugavere adds that this oversight extends to other areas of women's health, emphasizing the need for more inclusive research 1 2.

   

Diagnosis Challenges

The challenges women face in receiving accurate diagnoses for brain-related symptoms are significant. Lisa Mosconi discusses how biases in healthcare often lead to women's symptoms being dismissed or misdiagnosed, particularly in cases involving cognitive decline. She stresses the importance of raising awareness about the potential effects of common medical procedures on women's brain health.

Taking out the uterus and especially the ovaries prior to menopause increases risk of Alzheimer's disease in women.

--- Lisa Mosconi

This highlights the need for better communication between medical professionals to ensure women receive comprehensive care 3 4.