Neurological Disease Impact
- An estimated 5.3 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s Disease, 5.1 million of whom are age 65 and older.1
- The number of Americans with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias is projected to rise because of the increasing population of older Americans in the U.S.1
- By 2050, a projected 11 million to 16 million people age 65 and older will have Alzheimer’s Disease.1
- Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias had triple the average Medicare costs of other beneficiaries in the same age group in 2004.1
- The direct and indirect costs for people with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias was estimated to be more than $148 billion in 2005.1
- In 2008, there were 9.9 million family and other unpaid caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s Disease or other dementias in the U.S., who provided 8.5 billion hours of care, valued at $94 billion.1
- About 1.5 million Americans have Parkinson’s Disease, which causes tremors, stiffness, slowed movement and balance impairment, among other symptoms.2
- The average age of onset for Parkinson’s Disease is 60 years old.2
- While current medications for Parkinson’s Disease can help patients manage symptoms, eventually the drugs lose their effectiveness.3
- In the U.S., the total cost of Parkinson’s Disease is estimated to be over $6 billion annually.4
- There is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease or Parkinson’s Disease. Continued research on these diseases holds promise for more effective treatments, drug therapies, earlier diagnosis, prevention and even a cure, which could greatly improve the lives of millions of Americans.
1 Alzheimer’s Association. 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Available online at: http://www.alz.org/national/documents/report_alzfactsfigures2009.pdf. Accessed 6/29/09.
2 National Parkinson Foundation website. Available online at: http://www.parkinson.org. Accessed 6/29/09.
3 Parkinson’s Action Network website. Available online at: http://www.parkinsonsaction.org/About-Parkinson-s-Disease.html. Accessed 6/29/09.
4 NINDS website. “Parkinson’s Disease: Hope Through Research.” Available online at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/detail_parkinsons disease.htm. Accessed 6/29/09.
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Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease affect millions of Americans and lead to disability, cognitive and physical function decline and loss of independence. The greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease is increasing age and the disease is expected to become more prevalent as the number of older Americans increases over the next few decades.1 Parkinson's Disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the U.S. with an estimated 60,000 new cases diagnosed every year.2 Research has yielded breakthrough findings about interventions to treat Parkinson's Disease symptoms but it is still not known how to halt the progression or cure the disease.4 Similarly, research has shed light on lifestyle factors which may help maintain cognitive health and drugs to treat symptoms of Alzheimer's, but no cure exists for Alzheimer's and there are no known treatments that stop or reverse its progression.1 A targeted and sustained research effort to more clearly understand these diseases, including their development, progression and interaction with the aging process, could have tremendous health and economic implications for millions of Americans.
1 Alzheimer’s Association. 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Available online at: http://www.alz.org/national/documents/report_alzfactsfigures2009.pdf. Accessed 6/29/09.
2 National Parkinson Foundation website. Available online at: http://www.parkinson.org. Accessed 6/29/09.
3 Parkinson’s Action Network website. Available online at: http://www.parkinsonsaction.org/About-Parkinson-s-Disease.html. Accessed 6/29/09.
4 NINDS website. “Parkinson’s Disease: Hope Through Research.” Available online at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/parkinsons_disease/detail_parkinsons disease.htm. Accessed 6/29/09.  Download PDF of Factsheet
Searchable Databases
- The Silver Book Online:
- Age-A Major Risk Factor for Neurological Disease
- Prevalence and Incidence of Neurological Disease
- The Economic Burden of Neurological Disease
- The Human Burden of Neurological Disease
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