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DementiaEpidemiologyDementia affects people in middle adult life. However, its symptoms can begin much earlier in some individuals and these symptoms often go unrecognised until later in life. The incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) increases with age and it is estimated at 0.5% per year in people aged from 65 to 69 years; 1% per year from 70 to 74 years; 2% per year from 75 to 79 years; 3% per year from 80 to 84 years and 8% per year in people over 85 years. Alzheimer’s disease can occur as a familial form, in which case, the inheritance is usually autosomal dominant and the onset is early in life. The vast majority of AD, however, occurs in older people. There is some evidence that this form also has an inheritable component and that people with a certain gene (or genes) may have a higher risk of developing the disease. People with Down's syndrome are at high risk of developing AD, due to a certain chromosomal abnormality. |
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