Predicted Prevalence of Alzheimer Disease in the United States by 2060

HealthDay News — A total of 15 million Americans are expected to have clinical Alzheimer disease (AD) or mild cognitive impairment by 2060, according to a study published online in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

Ron Brookmeyer, PhD, from the University of California in Los Angeles, and colleagues used a multistate model incorporating biomarkers for preclinical AD with projections for the US population to forecast the prevalence of AD.

The researchers note that about 6.08 million Americans had clinical AD or mild cognitive impairment due to AD in 2017. 

By 2060, this number is expected to increase to 15 million. Preclinical AD (amyloidosis, neurodegeneration, or both) was seen in 46.7 million Americans in 2017; many are not expected to progress to clinical disease during their lifetime. A differential impact is anticipated for primary and secondary preventions on future disease burden.

“Because large numbers of persons are living with preclinical AD, our results underscore the need for secondary preventions for persons with existing AD brain pathology who are likely to develop clinical disease during their lifetimes as well as primary preventions for persons without preclinical disease,” the authors write.

One author disclosed financial ties to Takeda.

Reference

Brookmeyer R, Abdalla N, Kawas CH, Corrada MM. Forcasting the prevalence of preclinical and clinical Alzheimer’s disease in the United States [published online December 7, 2017]. Alzheimers Dement. doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2017.10.009