WOMEN’S brains work harder than men’s, explaining why they are more prone to Alzheimer’s disease, according to research.

The biggest scanning study of its kind found their neurons were much more active in a wider variety of areas.

This makes them more prone to anxiety, depression and insomnia, all of which have been linked to the development of dementia.

The brain cells of men, on the other hand, are more likely to be firing in regions that control vision and co-ordination that could be linked with higher rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The discovery could lead to personalised therapies for mental illnesses, including Alzheimer’s, based on gender.

Psychiatrist Dr Daniel Amen, founder of Amen Clinics in Newport Beach, California, said: “This is a very important study to help understand gender based brain differences.

“The quantifiable differences we identified between men and women are important for understanding gender based risk for brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.”