Every 71 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association’s Facts and Figures. While over 5 million people in the United States are already living with the disease, it’s estimated that 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer’s during their lifetime — and this number is expected to triple by 2050.
The prevalence has grown so much in recent years that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, even surpassing diabetes.
Aside from the devastating emotional toll this disease takes on those afflicted and their families, it also costs the United States more than $148 billion each year.
The Most Common Form of Dementia
Dementia is a loss or decline in memory and other cognitive abilities that is severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60 percent to 80 percent of cases.
On a scientific level, Alzheimer’s disease can be recognized by deposits of the protein fragment beta-amyloid in the brain (more commonly known as “plaques”) along with twisted strands of the protein tau (tangles), the Alzheimer’s Association reports.
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