Amid all the warnings about a ‘dementia tsunami’, here are the things you should know | Devi Sridhar

ALzheimer’s disease and other dementia was The main cause of death In Britain in 2021 (followed by Covid-19 and heart disease), and The 10 best cause of death In the United States. Difference It is a general term used for many diseases that destroy neurons and brain damage, which leads to difficulty in memory, thinking and other cognitive functions. Behind these statistics, there is a tragic state of individuals (and their loved ones) because they become confused and confused, struggle to get to know family, friends and care providers, and lose the ability to live independently.

Recent studies from All over the world It has highlighted that dementia is likely to rise significantly. For example, analysis Of the 15,000 middle -aged adults in nature medicine in January 2025, it was found that in the study participants, a lifelong threat of dementia was 55 % 42 %. Basically, an estimated 42 % of more than 55 years of Americans will eventually develop dementia. This is much higher than the previous studies found. The authors say that the number of adults who will develop dementia annually is expected to double over the next four decades. The numbers are generally high, and they are in line with increasing concern in public health that with the presence of more people who live for a longer period and the elderly become a greater percentage of the population, the cases will increase significantly, with the challenges of health and social care associated with them.

However, these estimates of the future Tsunami of dementia are now The appeal is being made, Data shows About two -thirds of ages between the United States between 1984 and 2024 decreased. Similar decline rates were found in Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and France. To remove them from terms, yes, the absolute number of people who develop dementia rises due to aging and an increasing number of elderly. However, in each era – whether it is 50 or 60, or 70 – it seems that most studies show that the rate of dementia at a certain age decreases, compared to what we have seen in the past. We improve livelihood for a longer period, with poor cognitive impairment that still occurs but at a later age.

There is no simple answer to explain the decrease in age rates for age, although there are many hypotheses, such as low smoking rates, higher education, the best treatment for high blood pressure and early detection of poor perception. We know that there are adjustable factors – that is, things that individuals and societies can do to prevent the appearance of dementia. Lancet Committee to prevent dementia Estimates About 45 % of dementia can be prevented if 14 adjustable risk factors are treated. This education includes high blood pressure, hearing loss, visual loss, smoking, obesity, depression, lack of physical activity, diabetes, high cholesterol in LDL cholesterol, excessive alcohol consumption, air pollution, loneliness and painful brain injury. Death causes are complex, and include genetic predisposition, but there are also important measures we can do to improve our brain health and delay the appearance of the disease.

Over the past two decades, we have become better in understanding these risk factors and developing public health policies and education to address them. We have also seen tremendous scientific progress in medical medicines. For example, the past two years have seen an evolution Two new treatment As for Alzheimer’s and Lecanemab disease, which clinical experiments indicate slowing the development of the disease – which led to bold claims, by pharmaceutical companies such as Lily, this is the “beginning of the end” of Alzheimer’s. Caution is needed, given the high cost of treatment and the serious side effects that these medications can cause, but they still show movement to the slow and fixed front in dealing with the disease.

Low age rates for age It contradicts cancerWhere it is expected that the injury will continue in the youth. It is referred to as “the effect of expanded soil”, numbers show that each group of people born later have a greater risk of cancer later on life. So a person born in 1990 is at risk of developing a smaller cancer than a person born in 1980, who is at greater risk than a person born in 1970.

Yes, we all have to die at some point, and something collapses in our minds or body over time, but the goal of public health is to push the disease to the maximum extent possible in the future. We know that there are things we can do to delay dementia, and we already see progress related to public health policies and medical progress. Behind the Anwani news about the tsunami dementia, there is some good news as well.

• Professor Devy Sarridhar is the head of global public health at Edinburgh University, and the author of the book ” How do you not die (very soon)