[Source: Genetic Engineering News] – With about 35 million people around the world suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by the year 2010 and an expectation that these numbers will double every twenty years with approximately 115 million cases by 2050, pressure on healthcare systems worldwide will be intense. In a special issue of the journal Behavioural Neurology, twelve contributions from an international group of researchers discuss imaging techniques that may contribute to early diagnosis and advancements in treatment for this devastating disease.
As life expectancy increases across the globe, the incidence of AD rises dramatically. Currently, AD care costs US Medicare and Medicaid and businesses over $148 billion dollars per year. With an aging population, these costs could potentially triple by 2050. With the prevalence of AD doubling with every decade of life after age 75, merely delaying the onset of AD by five years would produce a 50% decrease in the prevalence of disease.
For more information: Neuroimaging provides insights into new treatment options for Alzheimer’s disease