Women Dementia Risk Factors 2026: UC San Diego Study of 17,000 Reveals Sex-Specific Cognitive Threat

# Women Dementia Risk Factors 2026: UC San Diego Study of 17,000 Reveals Sex-Specific Cognitive Threat

> **Quick answer:** A landmark May 2026 UC San Diego study published in *Biology of Sex Differences* found that 13 modifiable dementia risk factors not only appear more frequently in women — they also do significantly more cognitive damage in women than in equivalent men. Hypertension, elevated BMI, hearing loss, and diabetes showed the steepest sex-specific impact. The researchers concluded that one-size-fits-all prevention strategies are failing women.

Women already make up nearly two-thirds of all Alzheimer's cases in the United States. Now, a sweeping new study on women dementia risk factors — one of the largest of its kind — reveals the full picture is even more lopsided than previously understood. The study does not just confirm that women face higher exposure to risk factors; it shows those factors hit harder in the female brain.

*This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Consult a healthcare provider for medical concerns.*

## What the UC San Diego Study Found — And Why It Matters

Published May 19, 2026 in the peer-reviewed journal *Biology of Sex Differences*, the study analyzed data from 17,182 adults aged 40 and older enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative U.S. cohort. The lead researchers — Megan Fitzhugh, PhD, and Judy Pa, PhD, both from UC San Diego School of Medicine — used chi-square tests for prevalence differences and three-way ANOVAs to examine how sex, age, and each risk factor interact to affect cognition.