Mar 22, 2014 11:07 AM EDT By Jaleesa Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

Women may be more likely to be afflicted with Alzheimer's than men, according to a recent study The Almagest reported.

According to a new report published by the Alzheimer's Association 2014 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, women are more affected by the disease much harder and much more often than men, The Almagest reported.

The report, which states that an estimated 3.2 million women aged 65 and older in the U.S. are living with Alzheimer's, states that the risk of developing Alzheimer's by women in their 60s was also found to be about two times higher that of breast cancer. It also said the lifetime risk of women developing the disease under the age of 65 is one in six, compared with nearly one in 11 for men.

"Women are generally the natural nurturer. The majority of them work and may raise a family and care for a spouse or older parent," Theresa McFarlin, executive director of Chandler Assisted Living and Chandler Memory Care, told the Almagest. "There's depression and a feeling of being isolated. They really don't take the time for their own health concerns so a lot of time their needs will go unattended because they're caring for another person."

The report also said the disease is the most expensive condition in the nation.

There are currently 5.2 million people living with the disease, and the number may triple to 16 million by 2050, according to the report.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death. It silently attacks the brain for more than a decade before any symptoms emerge, BBC News reported.

There are currently no treatments available to slow down or prevent the disease, and it will take years for before new drug developments are determined effective.

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