ABSTRACT
Alzheimer’s disease is an extremely common condition among older persons. Estimates of the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, i.e., the number of new cases of the disease arising in a defined period of time, have, in general, been in agreement with prevalence estimates and comparisons across studies have reflected similar methodological differences. The typical age of retirement is 65 years, and the great majority of Alzheimer’s disease occurs above this age; occupational impairment can only be detected among those still employed. The increase in incidence of Alzheimer’s disease with increasing age has profound implications for the impact of the disease on the public health. The substantial majority of persons with Alzheimer’s disease are women because women, on average, live longer than men in developed societies and occurrence of the disease is strongly related to age. On the basis of present knowledge, it is impossible to predict to what degree, if any, Alzheimer’s disease is inevitable.
