Global Alzheimer's rates shooting up

Alzheimer's disease is already a tragic and costly burden on aging people and their families. Unfortunately, it seems like that burden is likely to increase in coming years, driven by the higher life expectancies enjoyed by people around the world.

A new report from Alzheimer's Disease International concludes that the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease is increasing rapidly. By next year, it predicts, 35.6 million people around the world will suffer from dementia, up 10 percent since 2005. Worse, incidences of dementia should nearly double every 20 years, hitting 65.7 million globally in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050, according to the group's 2009 World Alzheimer Report.

Dementia is growing faster in low- and middle-income countries. In 2010, more than half of Alzheimer's cases will occur in such countries, and by 2050, the proportion of cases in low- and middle-income countries should hit 70.5 percent, researchers said.

To learn more about this trend:
- read this HealthDay News piece

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