Despite the varied approaches and findings, however, NIA experts point out, the numbers of people with dementia, and Alzheimer's specifically, will certainly increase until ways to delay the progression or prevent the dementia are found. Advancing age is the most common known risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

The HRS is an ongoing national survey of 22,000 adults age 51 and older that began in 1992, providing data that helps researchers, policy makers and others understand the life circumstances of older adults and help address the challenges of the nation's rapidly aging population. The ADAMS and HRS data are made publicly available to researchers seeking to conduct studies about the older U.S. population. For further information about the HRS and ADAMS, visit hrsonline.isr.umich.edu or www.nia.nih.gov/ResearchInformation/HRS.htm.


To reach the investigators, contact Diane Swanbrow, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, at 734-647-9069 or swanbrow@umich.edu.

NIA leads the federal effort supporting and conducting research on aging and the medical, social and behavioral issues of older people, including AD and age-related cognitive change. For information on dementia and aging, please visit NIA's Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center at www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers, or call 1-800-438-4380. For more general information on research and aging, go to www.nia.nih.gov. Please visit the Web sites to sign up for e-mail notification of new information and publications about aging and about age-related cognitive change.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) - The Nation's Medical Research Agency - includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

References:
Brookmeyer, R., et al. Projections of Alzheimer's disease in the United States and the public health Impact of delaying disease onset. American Journal of Public Health 1998;88:1337-42.

Evans, D.A., et al. Estimated prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in the United States. Milbank Quarterly 1990;68:267-289.

Hebert, L.E., et al. Alzheimer disease in the US population. Archives of Neurology 2003;60:1119-22.

Plassman, B.L., et al. Prevalence of dementia in the United States: The Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study. Neuroepidemiology 2007; 29:125-132.

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