Dementia rates are dropping among people over 65 years old, according to researchers

BOSTON -- Some good news when it comes to dementia.  Rates are dropping among seniors.  

Still, there is a gender difference.

Researchers at the RAND Corporation looked at survey data on over 21,000 people and found that the prevalence of dementia among Americans over 65 dropped from 12 percent in 2000 to just over 8 percent in 2016. 

The racial gap between Black men and white men narrowed, but there weren't significant improvements in the gender gap because while dementia rates fell for both men and women, women continue to experience the disease at higher rates than men. 

Researchers say the overall improvement in dementia rates may be, in large part, due to educational attainment, since learning helps brain cells maintain connections and make the brain more resilient.