You probably know a family where dementia has taken a mother or a grandmother. For many women the quiet fear builds with each passing birthday. What has long been treated as bad luck or female biology is now getting a closer look.
A meta-analysis published in JAMA Neurology on October 13, 2026 pooled 22 long-term studies from 18 countries on six continents. Among 38,418 adults aged 60 to 102, women developed dementia at a rate of 10.6 cases per 1,000 person-years. For men the figure was 8.6.
The researchers, led by the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing at UNSW Sydney, do not pin the gap on female biology alone. The authors note the differences may reflect a complex mix of social, economic, educational and environmental factors.
The sharpest divide was not between women and men
The study found something even larger than the gender gap. In low- and middle-income countries, dementia was striking adults at 13.6 cases per 1,000 person-years. In high-income countries the rate was 8.3.
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The economic pattern mirrors the female pattern. A separate 2023 analysis by The George Institute for Global Health covered the same global consortium of cohorts.
Its authors concluded that social and economic disadvantage may largely explain why women carry the heavier burden. Lower education, fewer paid working years and tighter household finances keep showing up alongside dementia risk in women.
What the global projection means for the next 25 years
The new numbers point to a steep rise ahead. The authors estimate 11.4 million people developed dementia worldwide in 2023. They project that figure will more than double to 24.7 million a year by 2050.
A large share of dementia cases may be preventable by addressing well-known risk factors such as hearing loss, high blood pressure, smoking and physical inactivity.
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Lead author Ashleigh Vella, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at CHeBA, said in a statement that the picture matters for prevention.
"Understanding these differences is critical if we are to develop dementia prevention, diagnosis and care strategies that respond to the populations facing the greatest future risk."
For women the familiar levers still apply. Hearing checks, blood pressure control, regular physical activity and lifelong learning all sit on the published list of modifiable risk factors.
Anyone who notices new memory, mood or language changes in themselves or a parent should raise it with a doctor rather than wait.
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This article is made and published by Jesper Bengtson, who may have used AI in the preparation.