What are the Prevalence and Risk Factors of Alzheimer’s Disease in China and the United States?

Abstract

Dementia, especially Alzheimer’s dementia, which occupies more than 60% of total dementia cases, has become one of the most significant health problems in the world due to its increasing global prevalence, irreversible pathology, and rising social and economic costs. In this research, the author compared Alzheimer’s disease (AD) prevalence in China and the United States and found the common pattern of its epidemiology. Apart from the quantitative analysis, this research also identifies the pathophysiological, socioenvironmental, and other risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease by qualitative desk research. It was found that the risk factors related to or controlled by genes such as Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) have more influential effects on Alzheimer’s disease onset than the socio-environmental factors. Some socioenvironmental factors such as level of education reflecting the brain activity of a person are also correlated with Alzheimer’s disease prevalence. This disease is caused by an interplay of numerous factors, so there needs to be further investigations into its mechanisms as well as the combination therapy.