35 million people living with dementia, report says

By Lauran Neergaard
ASSOCIATED PRESS
2:00 a.m. September 21, 2009

WASHINGTON — More than 35 million people around the world are living with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, says the most in-depth attempt yet to assess the brain-destroying illness — and it's an ominous forecast as the population ages.

The new count is about 10 percent higher than what scientists had predicted just a few years ago, because earlier research underestimated Alzheimer's growing effect in developing countries.

Barring a medical breakthrough, the World Alzheimer Report projects, the number of dementia cases will nearly double every 20 years. By 2050, it will affect a staggering 115.4 million people, the report concludes.

“We are facing an emergency,â€