Health
Alzheimer's rates have reached staggering number as experts call for change
Alzheimer’s disease now affects more than seven million people in the U.S., and nearly four in five Americans say they would want to know if they have it before symptoms emerge.
This data comes from the Alzheimer’s Association’s annual report, titled “Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures.”
“For a long time, it was like, ‘Oh, I wouldn’t want to find out.’ And so knowing that people can do more now is making a difference in the stigma,” said Dr. Elizabeth Edgerly, senior director for Community Programs and Services for the Alzheimer’s Association, in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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Edgerly was referring to the advancement of technology that allows for early Alzheimer’s detection, making testing more accessible than ever.
“People struggle to try to figure out: Is that normal aging, or something we should get checked out?” an expert said. (iStock)
Traditionally, pre-symptom Alzheimer’s testing has involved costly, invasive methods like PET scans and spinal taps.
And when it comes to senior health, it can be difficult to determine the level of urgency in potential red flags, according to Edgerly.
“We’re trying to get to the place where cancer is today — more openness, support and survivorship.”
“People struggle to try to figure out: Is that normal aging, or something we should get checked out?”
Another obstacle is that testing can take a very long time. “That process can take months or even years to get to the point where someone has a definitive diagnosis,” Edgerly said.
A new blood test can predict the likelihood of Alzheimer’s developing in a person before symptoms begin, the expert said. (iStock)
The introduction of a new blood test — one that can predict the likelihood of Alzheimer’s developing in a person before symptoms begin — makes the process a lot less daunting, the expert noted.
“It’s much more common, more affordable, more accessible.”
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The growing desire for transparency could also be related to the sharp rise in caregiving costs and the labor of caregiving itself.
The national cost of caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is projected to reach $384 billion in 2025 — up $24 billion from just a year ago, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
The national cost of caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias is projected to reach $384 billion in 2025, up from $24 billion from just a year ago. (iStock)
Nearly 12 million family members and friends provide 19.2 billion hours of unpaid care, valued at an additional $413 billion.
“Anyone who has cared for someone or has close friends who have been affected … it’s hard to not want to change that,” said Edgerly, whose own mother suffered from a form of dementia.
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Three in five people surveyed said they would accept a moderate or even high risk level from taking medication to slow the disease’s progression.
While much research is still needed into the disease’s progression, Edgerly said people can take steps to potentially reduce their risk.
“Eating a diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables — the Mediterranean diet is probably the one most people know — exercising, handling things like high blood pressure … all of that appears to make a positive difference,” she told Fox News Digital.
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With over 140 treatment options in the works, Edgerly said Americans may feel more optimistic than ever about the reality of Alzheimer’s, even as risk grows amid an aging population.
“Eating a diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables … appears to make a positive difference,” an expert advised. (iStock)
“We’re also seeing that there is a higher recognition of Alzheimer’s,” the expert noted. “For a long time — and still — many people don’t get diagnosed. But those numbers are changing.”
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“We’re trying to get to the place where cancer is today — more openness, support and survivorship.”
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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