Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive mental deterioration that occurs in middle or old age that extinguishes your ability to learn, reason, communicate and carry out daily tasks.
The disease has become a U.S. health crisis affecting more than 5 million Americans; new figures show women are bearing the brunt of the damage.
Did you know that women in their 60s are about twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as they are to develop breast cancer?
In fact, according to the Alzheimer’s Association’s latest finds, one in 11 men over 65 are estimated to develop Alzheimer’s, as opposed to one in 6 women.
Why is that?
One suggestion is that women notably live longer than males and the greatest risk to developing Alzheimer’s disease is increased age.
Have you heard the recent link between type-3 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease?
Just to be clear, Alzheimer’s disease is not diabetes; but those with diabetes have been shown to have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s. This happens because your brain, just like other cells in your body, can become insulin-resistant.
Director of Medical and Scientific Operations for the Alzheimer's Association, Heather M. Snyder, PhD, discusses the latest research found in women’s link to Alzheimer’s, as well as the research in type-3 diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
Selected Podcast
Why Women Are More Vulnerable to Alzheimers
Featuring:
Dr. Snyder is Director of Medical and Scientific Operations at the Alzheimer's Association. She oversees the Association's International Research Grant Program, the mechanism through which the Association funds research applications.
In addition to ensuring the smooth review of applications and distribution of awards to successful applicants, she is responsible for the dissemination of results and ongoing investigations to a wide range of audiences.
She also manages a collaborative project with the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health to develop an International Alzheimer's Disease Research Portfolio – using a common language to describe funded research to enable the integration and comparative analysis of Alzheimer's research funding from public and private organizations from around the world.
Dr. Snyder received her Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and her B.A. in Biology and Religious Studies from The University of Virginia. Since graduating from Stritch, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Neurobiology Program at Children's Memorial Research Center, affiliated with Northwestern University, in Chicago.
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's disease. www.alz.org
Heather Snyder, PhD
Dr. Snyder is Director of Medical and Scientific Operations at the Alzheimer's Association. She oversees the Association's International Research Grant Program, the mechanism through which the Association funds research applications.In addition to ensuring the smooth review of applications and distribution of awards to successful applicants, she is responsible for the dissemination of results and ongoing investigations to a wide range of audiences.
She also manages a collaborative project with the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health to develop an International Alzheimer's Disease Research Portfolio – using a common language to describe funded research to enable the integration and comparative analysis of Alzheimer's research funding from public and private organizations from around the world.
Dr. Snyder received her Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine and her B.A. in Biology and Religious Studies from The University of Virginia. Since graduating from Stritch, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Neurobiology Program at Children's Memorial Research Center, affiliated with Northwestern University, in Chicago.
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's disease. www.alz.org