JAMA: Dementia Cases Could Double by 2050

The JAMA Neurology recently published a report that dementia cases could double by 2050. In their research, they found that:

• New dementia cases could more than double: Annual new cases worldwide could rise from 11.4 million in 2023 to 24.7 million by 2050.

  
  

• The analysis draws on international data: Researchers examined 38,418 people in 22 studies across 18 countries, recording 3,001 dementia cases during more than 287,000 person-years of monitoring.

  
  

• Rates vary by sex and country income: Dementia incidence was higher among women than men and substantially higher in low- and middle-income countries.

  
  

• The study measures new cases, not total cases: Its focus is dementia incidence, rather than prevalence—the total number of people living with dementia.

  
  

• Consistent methods enable clearer comparisons: Researchers used common statistical methods and clinically based diagnoses to compare diverse populations.

  
  

• The findings highlight planning needs: The authors call for stronger prevention, diagnosis and care, alongside better local data—particularly in countries facing rapid population aging and limited resources.

Read the full report here.