An estimated 1 million Americans are expected to develop dementia annually by 2060—roughly double today’s numbers—researchers said in a Jan. 13 report, adding that the risk of developing the neurological condition may be higher than previously thought.
The researchers’ study, published in Nature on Monday, found a higher lifetime risk than previously thought: After age 55, people have up to a 4 in 10 chance of eventually developing dementia if they live long enough.
Previous studies estimated that about 14 percent of men and 23 percent of women would develop some form of dementia in their lifetime. The new study evaluated updated data and tracked the heart health and cognitive function of approximately 15,000 older adults over several decades….