How common is Alzheimer’s disease?

How common is Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia (accounting for 60 percent to 80 percent of cases). Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

One in 10 people older than 65 and nearly half of people older than 85 have Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease can also affect people in their 40s. The percentage of people who have Alzheimer’s disease rises every decade beyond the age of 60. According to the Alzheimer's Association, with the aging of the population and without successful treatment, there will be 14 million Americans and 106 million people worldwide with Alzheimer’s disease by 2050.