Alzheimer's Cases May Triple By 2050

The rate of Alzheimer's in the U.S. could as much as triple by 2050, says a new study from research done at the Rush Institute for healthy Aging in Chicago. Currently about 5 million Americans suffer from the condition and that number is expected to rise to about 13.8 million.

For the study, researchers examined health records from 10,802 Chicago residents of 65 years or older between 1993 to 2011. The test subjects were reviewed every three years for possible dementia risk and that data was compiled into a national projection.

"We're going to need coordinated efforts for this upcoming epidemic," says lead author Jennifer Weuve. "People have trouble getting their heads around these numbers, but imagine if everyone in the state of Illinois (population 12.8 million) had Alzheimer's. I look around Chicago and can't imagine it."

Dallas Anderson, director of population studies and epidemiology of Alzheimer's disease at the National Institute on Aging, adds: "These numbers are more credible because they involve new Census data . If you know anyone who has Alzheimer's disease now, you know how dire this projection is for the nati