Over 7 Million U.S. Seniors Have Alzheimer’s; UC San Diego Study Links Gene to Disease

More than 7 million Americans aged 65 and older are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, marking the highest number ever recorded in the United States. This represents about one in nine seniors, with the risk increasing substantially with age; approximately one-third of individuals over 85 are affected. Women constitute nearly two-thirds of all Alzheimer’s cases. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, using artificial intelligence, have identified a gene previously considered only a biomarker as an actual cause of Alzheimer’s and have discovered a potential treatment. Globally, dementia cases have doubled between 1990 and 2021, with China experiencing more than a fourfold increase during the same period. The number of Americans with Alzheimer’s is expected to double by 2060.