Alzheimer’s Explained
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking, and behavior, and is the leading cause of dementia. It begins with mild cognitive issues and advances to severe impairment.
Primarily affecting older adults, Alzheimer’s currently impacts millions worldwide.
Although there is no cure, promising research is focused on restoring brain health and slowing the disease’s progression, offering hope for future treatments.
What is Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of cases worldwide. The disease develops slowly, initially causing mild memory loss and confusion before advancing to severe cognitive and functional impairments. Alzheimer’s typically occurs in individuals over 65, though early-onset cases can appear in younger people. Currently, millions of individuals worldwide are affected, making it a major public health concern. However, emerging research offers hope for more effective treatments.
Causes and Pathology
Alzheimer’s disease is primarily driven by the abnormal accumulation of proteins in the brain, particularly amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles. These proteins disrupt communication between neurons and lead to cell death. The exact cause remains unclear, but genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors all contribute to its development. Age is the greatest risk factor, though genetic mutations, especially in early-onset cases, play a role. Chronic inflammation, vascular issues, and impaired clearance of toxic proteins are also believed to accelerate the disease’s progression, ultimately damaging brain regions critical for memory and cognition.
Symptoms and Stages
Alzheimer’s disease progresses through several stages, each marked by worsening symptoms.
• Early Stage: Mild memory lapses, trouble recalling recent events, and slight confusion.
• Middle Stage: Increased memory loss, difficulty recognizing familiar people, challenges with language, mood swings, and changes in behavior.
• Late Stage: Severe cognitive decline, inability to communicate, loss of independence in daily activities, and significant physical decline.
Each stage can vary in duration, but symptoms consistently worsen over time, leading to a considerable impact on quality of life.
Impact on Society
Alzheimer’s disease has a serious societal impact, affecting millions of individuals and placing immense strain on healthcare systems. In 2023, approximately 6.7 million Americans over age 65 are living with Alzheimer’s, with women making up two-thirds of those affected.¹ Alzheimer’s is responsible for a 145% increase in deaths since 2000¹, and one in three seniors dies with the disease or another dementia¹. Caregiving is also a significant burden, with over 11 million caregivers providing unpaid care valued at $339.5 billion¹. The total cost of Alzheimer’s care in 2023 is estimated at $345 billion, projected to rise to nearly $1 trillion by 2050¹.
Prevalence
An estimated 6.9 million Americans over age 65 are living with Alzheimer’s dementia in 2023. About 1 in 9 people (10.8%) over age 65 have Alzheimer’s dementia.
Caregiving
In 2023, more than 11.5 million caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias provided an estimated 18.4 billion hours of unpaid care, a contribution valued at $346.6 billion
Cost of Care
In 2024, total payments for all individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias are estimated at $360 billion (not including unpaid caregiving)
Current Treatments
Current FDA-approved treatments for Alzheimer’s focus on symptom management rather than reversing cognitive decline. Medications like cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine temporarily improve memory and cognition but don’t stop disease progression. Newer drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies targeting amyloid plaques, offer some hope but have shown limited effectiveness, high costs, and potential side effects. Despite these advancements, no treatment has successfully halted or reversed Alzheimer’s. Given the limited success of existing therapies, the world urgently needs innovative approaches to effectively combat this debilitating disease.
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Innovative Approaches
Emerging strategies for Alzheimer’s are shifting focus from symptom management to restoring brain health and harnessing the brain’s natural repair mechanisms. This includes targeting the glymphatic system, which clears toxins from the brain, improving cerebrospinal fluid flow, and promoting brain homeostasis. Ciatrix is at the forefront of this movement, conducting research into potential methods that aim to restore the brain’s ability to heal itself, complementing and extending beyond conventional pharmaceutical treatments. These innovative strategies hold the potential to revolutionize how we understand and address neurodegenerative diseases.