{"id":349507,"date":"2026-01-03T07:00:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T07:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/349507\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T07:00:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T07:00:10","slug":"how-bringing-up-daughters-could-help-protect-you-from-dementia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/349507\/","title":{"rendered":"How bringing up daughters could help protect you from dementia"},"content":{"rendered":"

For confidential advice, call Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Support Line on 0333 150 3456\u00a0Alzheimer’s Society’s symptoms checker <\/a>can help spot the signs of dementia\u00a0<\/p>\n

By PAT HAGAN – REPORTER<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 20:27 EST, 2 January 2026 | Updated: 21:34 EST, 2 January 2026 <\/p>\n

Raising daughters could reduce the risk of dementia.<\/p>\n

Scientists have found older parents with daughters have sharper minds and better memories than those who have sons.<\/p>\n

They believe this is because daughters tend to give better emotional support to parents which reduces their social isolation \u2013 a major risk factor for the incurable condition.<\/p>\n

Nearly one million people in the UK have dementia and it is the country’s biggest killer, claiming more than 75,000 lives a year.<\/p>\n

Loneliness and lack of family support are known to add to the risks.<\/p>\n

Researchers at Hohai University in China<\/a> analysed data on the cognitive function of hundreds of older people who took part in a health study in 2018.<\/p>\n

Declining cognitive ability is a warning sign dementia could be on its way. Key signs include difficulty processing information, poor attention span and fading memory.<\/p>\n

The study analysed brain activity data from elderly parents and compared how many sons and daughters they had.<\/p>\n

\"Scientists <\/p>\n

Scientists believe daughters tend to give better emotional support to parents which reduces their social isolation \u2013 a major risk factor for the incurable condition (stock photo)<\/p>\n

\"Loneliness <\/p>\n

Loneliness and lack of family support are known to add to the risks of dementia (stock photo)<\/p>\n

Findings published in the Journal of Women and Ageing found older parents who raised daughters rather than sons scored significantly higher for brain health.<\/p>\n

And the greatest benefits were seen in families with just one daughter, possibly because there is greater continuity of care.<\/p>\n

The researchers said: ‘Daughters improve their parents’ cognitive level by providing relatively more emotional support.<\/p>\n

‘And the effect on ageing mothers’ cognitive abilities is stronger than that on the ageing father.’<\/p>\n

\"Logo\"<\/p>\n

Everyone experiences dementia differently. Use this checklist to help you make a note of your symptoms before you talk to your GP.<\/p>\n

The findings come as the Daily Mail has partnered with Alzheimer’s Society in a drive to beat dementia. The Defeating Dementia campaign aims to raise awareness of the disease in an effort to increase early diagnosis, boost research and improve care.<\/p>\n

The NHS aims to identify at least two in three people living with the disease so they can get the help and treatment they need.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

But rates collapsed during the pandemic and have never recovered, leaving tens of thousands to struggle alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Last week researchers suggested life-changing treatments for the disease could emerge in the next five to ten years \u2013 and it could even be cured.<\/p>\n

Professor Tara Spires-Jones, director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, said: ‘I’m very optimistic that in the short term we will have treatments that can meaningfully slow or stop disease progression.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘In the long term we should be able to prevent dementia entirely and hopefully we’ll get to a cure.’<\/p>\n

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