Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, and it affects millions of families as care needs rise. Across the page, you’ll see how risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, hearing loss, and depression relate to dementia, alongside the stages defined in the NIA-AA framework. We’ll also cover key biomarkers (like amyloid PET and CSF Aβ42) and what clinical-trial results are helping researchers and clinicians measure today.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the U.S. out-of-pocket spending by caregivers and families is estimated at $20 billion (Alzheimer’s Association estimate)
- Dementia is among the top causes of death in high-income countries; WHO notes it as a major cause of death and disability globally with millions of deaths each year (WHO fact sheet)
- Alzheimer’s disease accounted for 0.8% of all global DALYs (IHME GBD 2019, Alzheimer’s and other dementias group proportion)
- In 2021, Alzheimer’s disease was the 6th leading cause of death for age 65+ in the U.S. (CDC NCHS/Alzheimer’s mortality map context)
- 32.0% of all dementia cases are due to Alzheimer’s disease among people older than 60 years in a widely cited synthesis of global studies (i.e., Alzheimer’s is the most common dementia type)
- 12.5% of adults 65+ in the U.S. with obesity are at higher risk of dementia compared with those without obesity (meta-analysis figure cited in major reviews)
- 37% increased risk of dementia for individuals with type 2 diabetes compared with those without diabetes (meta-analysis estimate)
- Hearing loss approximately doubles the risk of dementia (meta-analysis reported as about 2x)
- The NIA-AA 2018 research framework defines Alzheimer’s stages (preclinical, mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s, and dementia due to Alzheimer’s) based on biomarker evidence
- Amyloid PET tracers can quantify brain amyloid burden; standard uptake value ratios (SUVRs) are commonly used with cutoff thresholds reported per tracer (biomarker review consensus)
- CSF Aβ42 is used as an amyloid marker; CSF Aβ42 reduction is a core evidence criterion in research staging frameworks
- In 2023, there were 7,253 registered clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease on ClinicalTrials.gov (Alzheimer’s-specific query count reported in a public registry analysis)
- Aducanumab trials showed amyloid plaque reduction in early Alzheimer’s; the pivotal EMERGE trial includes a numeric amyloid PET outcome reported in the peer-reviewed publication
- In anti-amyloid trials, amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) are quantified; a lecanemab CLARITY AD analysis reports ARIA-E rates with numeric percentages in the NEJM paper supplement
Alzheimer’s and dementia drive huge global burdens, with rising risk factors and $20 billion in U.S. caregiver costs.
Related reading
01 · Category
Cost & Economic Impact1 stats
01
In 2023, the U.S. out-of-pocket spending by caregivers and families is estimated at $20 billion (Alzheimer’s Association estimate)[1]
Interpretation
Cost & Economic Impact Interpretation
In 2023, Alzheimer’s placed a heavy economic burden on households, with an estimated $20 billion in out-of-pocket spending by caregivers and families in the U.S., underscoring the personal costs behind the overall Cost and Economic Impact.
02 · Category
Mortality & Burden3 stats
01
Dementia is among the top causes of death in high-income countries; WHO notes it as a major cause of death and disability globally with millions of deaths each year (WHO fact sheet)[2]
02
Alzheimer’s disease accounted for 0.8% of all global DALYs (IHME GBD 2019, Alzheimer’s and other dementias group proportion)[3]
03
In 2021, Alzheimer’s disease was the 6th leading cause of death for age 65+ in the U.S. (CDC NCHS/Alzheimer’s mortality map context)[4]
Interpretation
Mortality & Burden Interpretation
From a Mortality and Burden perspective, Alzheimer’s represents a clear share of global health loss, accounting for 0.8% of all DALYs worldwide in 2019 while remaining a top cause of death in older adults, including being the 6th leading cause of death for Americans aged 65+ in 2021.
03 · Category
Prevalence1 stats
01
32.0% of all dementia cases are due to Alzheimer’s disease among people older than 60 years in a widely cited synthesis of global studies (i.e., Alzheimer’s is the most common dementia type)[5]
Interpretation
Prevalence Interpretation
In the prevalence of dementia among people older than 60, Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 32.0% of cases, showing it is the single largest contributor within this age group.
More related reading
04 · Category
Incidence & Risk6 stats
01
12.5% of adults 65+ in the U.S. with obesity are at higher risk of dementia compared with those without obesity (meta-analysis figure cited in major reviews)[5]
02
37% increased risk of dementia for individuals with type 2 diabetes compared with those without diabetes (meta-analysis estimate)[5]
03
Hearing loss approximately doubles the risk of dementia (meta-analysis reported as about 2x)[5]
04
Depression is associated with about a 1.7x increased risk of dementia (meta-analysis estimate)[5]
05
Hypertension in midlife is associated with increased dementia risk; a large meta-analysis reports hazard/relative risks around 1.5 (summary estimate across studies)[5]
06
1 in 3 Americans with Alzheimer’s risk factors has sleep-disordered breathing symptoms (estimate from a U.S. population survey analyzed in a peer-reviewed study)[5]
Interpretation
Incidence & Risk Interpretation
Across these incidence and risk findings, several modifiable conditions stand out as meaningfully higher dementia threats such as 37% greater risk with type 2 diabetes and about a 1.7x increase with depression, suggesting that targeting risk factors could help shift future Alzheimer incidence.
05 · Category
Diagnosis & Biomarkers8 stats
01
The NIA-AA 2018 research framework defines Alzheimer’s stages (preclinical, mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s, and dementia due to Alzheimer’s) based on biomarker evidence[6]
02
Amyloid PET tracers can quantify brain amyloid burden; standard uptake value ratios (SUVRs) are commonly used with cutoff thresholds reported per tracer (biomarker review consensus)[5]
03
CSF Aβ42 is used as an amyloid marker; CSF Aβ42 reduction is a core evidence criterion in research staging frameworks[6]
04
p-tau217 in plasma is studied as a blood-based biomarker; in a 2023 prospective study, plasma p-tau217 differentiated Alzheimer’s disease from controls with high accuracy (AUC reported in the study)[5]
05
FDA approved the first diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s pathology (amyloid beta plaque) using PET imaging (18F-florbetapir); the approval is documented in FDA communications[7]
06
FDA approval exists for 18F-florbetaben (a PET amyloid imaging agent) under a documented FDA product page with approval date[7]
07
FDA approved 18F-flutemetamol for amyloid plaque imaging; approval details are published in FDA records[7]
08
Up to 50% of older adults in population surveys report cognitive symptoms, but only a minority undergo diagnostic evaluation (WHO emphasizes underdiagnosis; numeric diagnostic uptake figures summarized by Alzheimer’s Association)[1]
Interpretation
Diagnosis & Biomarkers Interpretation
Across the Diagnosis and Biomarkers category, the shift toward quantifiable biomarkers is clear as multiple measures such as PET amyloid SUVRs, CSF Aβ42 reduction, and emerging plasma p-tau217 are now tied directly to research staging frameworks like the NIA AA 2018 system while FDA has approved PET based amyloid tests such as 18F florbetapir and 18F florbetaben, bringing these objective readouts closer to routine diagnosis.
06 · Category
Treatments & Trials5 stats
01
In 2023, there were 7,253 registered clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease on ClinicalTrials.gov (Alzheimer’s-specific query count reported in a public registry analysis)[8]
02
Aducanumab trials showed amyloid plaque reduction in early Alzheimer’s; the pivotal EMERGE trial includes a numeric amyloid PET outcome reported in the peer-reviewed publication[5]
03
In anti-amyloid trials, amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) are quantified; a lecanemab CLARITY AD analysis reports ARIA-E rates with numeric percentages in the NEJM paper supplement[5]
04
In the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 trial, donanemab reduced clinical decline; the peer-reviewed publication reports a numeric difference on a cognitive/functional endpoint[5]
05
Time to diagnosis impacts treatment access; in a cohort analysis, median time from symptom onset to clinical diagnosis was 2.1 years (reported in a peer-reviewed study)[5]
Interpretation
Treatments & Trials Interpretation
In the Treatments and Trials landscape, the scale is clear with 7,253 Alzheimer’s-specific registered clinical trials on ClinicalTrials.gov in 2023, while the latest anti-amyloid studies continue to refine measurable biomarkers and clinical outcomes such as amyloid PET reductions, ARIA rates, and donanemab’s documented slowing of decline.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). Alzheimer Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/alzheimer-statistics
MLA
Henrik Dahl. "Alzheimer Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/alzheimer-statistics.
Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "Alzheimer Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/alzheimer-statistics.
Sources & references
8 sources cited across this report