Dr Steven Younkin, from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Florida, led the research and found a variant in the gene PCDH11X had a significant connection to the development of late-onset Alzheimer's disease, according to the article.
The finding is the first to pinpoint a possible gender-specific risk factor for the debilitating condition.
Approximately 844 dementia patients were genetically screened and compared with about 1,255 healthy "control" participants, states the news organization.
Past studies have shown amino-acids may be involved with the development of dementia in some people, as well as other proteins in the brain. However, those studies never suggested the possibility a person's gender may be a factor as well.
It remains to be seen if this finding will alter future research studies into dementia or if it will change Alzheimer's care for female patients.
There are approximately 700,000 people diagnosed with dementia in the UK.
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