[Paleopsych] BH: Memory Declines Faster in Male Primates

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Memory Declines Faster in Male Primates
http://www.betterhumans.com/Print/index.aspx?ArticleID=2005-02-10-2

Findings have implications for developing sex-specific treatments for
age-related cognitive decline

    Betterhumans Staff
    2/10/2005 1:38 PM

    Men may be more susceptible to age-related memory decline than women,
    suggests a new study in nonhuman primates.

    Research conducted at the [8]Yerkes National Primate Research Center
    of [9]Emory University in Atlanta has found that [10]spatial memory,
    responsible for recording environmental and spatial-orientation
    information, declines at a greater rate in male nonhuman primates than
    female.

    Research leaders Agnes Lacreuse and [11]James Herndon conclude that
    sex may influence age-related cognitive decline, which has
    implications for developing human treatments to prevent age-related
    memory loss.

    In tasks measuring spatial memory, the researchers saw young male
    nonhuman primates outperform females, similar to what's been found in
    humans.

    In older subjects, however, sex differences no longer existed among
    aged male and female nonhuman primates, suggesting that spatial
    abilities declined at a greater rate in males.

    The researchers next aim to determine what contributes to the
    differential decline and to conduct imaging studies to examine any
    reductions in brain regions involved in spatial memory.

    The research is reported in the journal [12]Behavioral Neuroscience.

References

    8. http://www.yerkes.emory.edu/
    9. http://www.emory.edu/
   10. http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/spatial_memory
   11. http://www.emory.edu/LIVING_LINKS/Herndon.html
   12. http://www.apa.org/journals/bne/