The risk of developing dementia in late adulthood is far higher than initially thought, according to a new study.
The study found that there is a 42% risk of Americans developing dementia after age 55. This number is more than double the risk rate determined in previous studies.
If accurate, that would mean the United States would experience half a million cases of the condition this year alone. By 2060, the country could see one million new annual cases. As it stands, nearly one in 10 American adults suffer from the disorder. A further 22% have milder forms of cognitive impairment.
The surge in cases over the coming decades relates to the aging demographics of the United States. However, outside of aging, dementia is linked to genetic factors, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, inadequate physical movement, poor mental health, and unhealthy diets.
“Our study results forecast a dramatic rise in the burden from dementia in the United States over the coming decades, with one in two Americans expected to experience cognitive difficulties after age 55,” said study senior investigator and epidemiologist Josef Coresh, MD, PhD, per Neuroscience News.
Last month, The Dallas Express detailed a different study that found individuals experiencing loneliness possess higher chances of developing dementia as well as other cognitive disorders. People who feel lonely were linked to a more than 30% increase in risk of dementia compared to those who did not report feelings of loneliness.
According to the authors of the latest study, previous underestimates of dementia risk are likely attributable to unreliable documentation in health records and death certificates. They also suspect inadequate surveillance of early cases and underreporting of instances among minority groups may have contributed to the lower perceived risk.
The study also found that Black adults and people who carry a variant of the APOE4 gene are particularly susceptible. Possession of APOE4 is considered the single most significant genetic risk factor in ultimately developing Alzheimer’s.
Once over the age of 75, say the researchers, the lifetime risk of dementia rises even further to over 50%.
“The pending population boom in dementia cases poses significant challenges for health policymakers, in particular, who must refocus their efforts on strategies to minimize the severity of dementia cases, as well as plans to provide more health care services for those with dementia,” said Coresh.