A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that approximately 4% of US adults aged 65 and older have been diagnosed with

dementia. This rate rises to 13% among those aged 85 and older. The findings are based on the 2022 National Health Interview Survey, which includes a nationally representative sample of US adults aged 18 and older.

The survey, which began including questions about dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, in 2019, found that 1.7% of adults aged 65 to 74 reported a dementia diagnosis. This rate increased to 5.7% for those aged 75 to 84.

The CDC conducted interviews, both in-person and via telephone, with 8,757 individuals aged 65 and older, asking if they had been diagnosed with any form of dementia. Ellen Kramarow, the report's lead author, noted that the estimates for dementia diagnoses remained relatively stable from 2019 to 2022 and are not expected to fluctuate significantly year to year.

Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia, which affects memory, language, problem-solving, and other cognitive abilities to the extent that it interferes with daily life, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

The release of the CDC report coincides with the introduction of new treatments aimed at slowing the progression of dementia. Notably, Biogen and Eisai's Leqembi received US approval last July, and Eli Lilly's similar treatment, donanemab, was recently endorsed by an FDA advisory panel and is expected to gain approval soon. Photo by MariaMagdalens, Wikimedia commons.