- Fear of losing one’s mind is and the number one fear in those over 50 years of age.
- In the U.S., one-third of those over 80 have dementia and 50% by the time they reach 85. 20% at the age of 70 have significant cognitive loss.
- AD is a disease of affluent societies. Of the world’s 24 million cases, 20% are in the U.S. That has only 4% of the world’s population.
- There are 78 million Baby Boomers and 40 million in the U.S. age 62 or older.
- By the year 2050, 40% of those who are 65 or older are likely to reach 90. The cost of treating AD is 110 billion now.
- AD is twice as prevalent in women.
- Obesity can increase your chances of getting Alzheimer’s. Obese women increase their chances by 300%. Men show a 30% increase for Alzheimer’s when they have a Body Mass Index over 30, or a waist size of 40 or more.
- Genes determine 30% of your risk of developing Alzheimer’s. The other 70% comes from factors you can control – diet, fitness, and stress levels.
- Genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s impacts up to 30% of the population. If one has both parents with the disease, there’s a 50% chance of developing it early.
- Our brain’s natural agility peaks by the age of 24 and falls by 50% by 50 years of age.
- From age 24 to 80, brain weight decreases by up to 20%, blood flow to the brain decreases by 20%, the number of fibers and nerves decreases by 37%.
- The American Academy of Neurology notes that by the time the average patient is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, they still live another 8.5 years. On average, 70% are admitted to a nursing home within two and a half years of the diagnosis.
- Age is the number one predictor of Alzheimer’s disease. At 60, approximately 1% of that population will have Alzheimer’s. This doubles, according to what epidemiological study you review, every 3-5 years, until one hits 75 – then it triples.
- A healthy brain – no matter how old – can continue to grow new neurons and dendrites and rewire itself. A major source of memory capacity is found in the dendrite bulbs that can increase in size, thus increasing memory storage (your interest-bearing account).
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