ABSTRACT
The extending life expectancy of the global population has led to a significant increase in the number of age-related diseases that are diagnosed and treated each year. Among these age-related diseases, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia affecting the elderly. The predominant risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease is age. Various estimates indicate that the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease begins to increase after the age of 65 and reaches a prevalence of 25-50% by age 85 (Hebert et al., 2003; Evans et al., 1989). Alzheimer’s disease represents a growing global healthcare and socioeconomic burden that continues to expand in the absence of reliable diagnostics and therapeutic interventions. It is estimated that in 2010 there were 35.6 million people living with dementia worldwide at a cost of more than $600 billion dollars. Each year, the number of individuals living with dementia is increasing. In the five years between 2005 and 2010, the total number of individuals living with dementia grew by 18%. With such increases in the total number of dementia cases each year and an overall increase in life expectancy, it is projected that the total cost to manage dementia will increase 85% by 2030 (Wilmo and Price, 2010).
