Latest news with #ElizabethEdgerly
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alzheimer's affects 7.2M in US, up by 300,000 cases: Report
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new report from the Alzheimer's Association shows an increase of 300,000 cases nationally over the last year. 'So the high is now 7.2 million Americans, and right alongside them now are 12 million friends and family members acting as caregivers,' said Alzheimer's Association Executive Director Dr. Elizabeth Edgerly. The '2025 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures Report' also found that Alzheimer's is a major problem in Texas. 'The number this year was 460,000 and you have more than a million caregivers, friends and families supporting those individuals, you're at almost 1.5 million people impacted,' Edgerly said. Recognizing dementia, Alzheimer's signs in loved ones The report states that people are interested in doing what they can to slow the progression of the disease. 'We saw a major shift in attitudes this last year. What we heard loud and clear is that Americans are interested in a simple test, like a blood test for Alzheimer's,' Edgerly said. 'They want to find out early, ideally while symptoms are mild or even before symptoms occur, because they want to access treatments.' Related: Researchers find a hint at how to delay Alzheimer's symptoms. Now they have to prove it 'Currently, there are blood tests, but they're only used in research settings and in some specialty clinics. But we believe that that's going to change in the next year, or two years, more people will have access to blood tests, and they're ready for it already.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alzheimer's rates have reached staggering number as experts call for change
Alzheimer's disease now affects more than seven million people in the U.S., and nearly four in five Americans say they would want to know if they have it before symptoms emerge. This data comes from the Alzheimer's Association's annual report, titled "Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures." "For a long time, it was like, 'Oh, I wouldn't want to find out.' And so knowing that people can do more now is making a difference in the stigma," said Dr. Elizabeth Edgerly, senior director for Community Programs and Services for the Alzheimer's Association, in an interview with Fox News Digital. Exercise Can Prevent Cognitive Decline Even When Energy Lags, Researchers Discover Edgerly was referring to the advancement of technology that allows for early Alzheimer's detection, making testing more accessible than ever. Traditionally, pre-symptom Alzheimer's testing has involved costly, invasive methods like PET scans and spinal taps. Read On The Fox News App And when it comes to senior health, it can be difficult to determine the level of urgency in potential red flags, according to Edgerly. "People struggle to try to figure out: Is that normal aging, or something we should get checked out?" Another obstacle is that testing can take a very long time. "That process can take months or even years to get to the point where someone has a definitive diagnosis," Edgerly said. The introduction of a new blood test — one that can predict the likelihood of Alzheimer's developing in a person before symptoms begin — makes the process a lot less daunting, the expert noted. "It's much more common, more affordable, more accessible." Retirement Could Be Bad For Your Health, Says Wellness Expert: 'Powered By Purpose' The growing desire for transparency could also be related to the sharp rise in caregiving costs and the labor of caregiving itself. The national cost of caring for those with Alzheimer's and other dementias is projected to reach $384 billion in 2025 — up $24 billion from just a year ago, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Nearly 12 million family members and friends provide 19.2 billion hours of unpaid care, valued at an additional $413 billion. "Anyone who has cared for someone or has close friends who have been affected ... it's hard to not want to change that," said Edgerly, whose own mother suffered from a form of dementia. 'I'm A Neurologist — Here's Why Dementia Is Rising And How To Reduce Your Risk' Three in five people surveyed said they would accept a moderate or even high risk level from taking medication to slow the disease's progression. While much research is still needed into the disease's progression, Edgerly said people can take steps to potentially reduce their risk. "Eating a diet that's rich in fruits and vegetables — the Mediterranean diet is probably the one most people know — exercising, handling things like high blood pressure … all of that appears to make a positive difference," she told Fox News Digital. For more Health articles, visit With over 140 treatment options in the works, Edgerly said Americans may feel more optimistic than ever about the reality of Alzheimer's, even as risk grows amid an aging population. "We're also seeing that there is a higher recognition of Alzheimer's," the expert noted. "For a long time — and still — many people don't get diagnosed. But those numbers are changing." Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "We're trying to get to the place where cancer is today — more openness, support and survivorship."Original article source: Alzheimer's rates have reached staggering number as experts call for change
Fox News
29-04-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Alzheimer's rates have reached staggering number as experts call for change
Alzheimer's disease now affects more than seven million people in the U.S., and nearly four in five Americans say they would want to know if they have it before symptoms emerge. This data comes from the Alzheimer's Association's annual report, titled "Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures." "For a long time, it was like, 'Oh, I wouldn't want to find out.' And so knowing that people can do more now is making a difference in the stigma," said Dr. Elizabeth Edgerly, senior director for Community Programs and Services for the Alzheimer's Association, in an interview with Fox News Digital. Edgerly was referring to the advancement of technology that allows for early Alzheimer's detection, making testing more accessible than ever. Traditionally, pre-symptom Alzheimer's testing has involved costly, invasive methods like PET scans and spinal taps. And when it comes to senior health, it can be difficult to determine the level of urgency in potential red flags, according to Edgerly. "We're trying to get to the place where cancer is today — more openness, support and survivorship." "People struggle to try to figure out: Is that normal aging, or something we should get checked out?" Another obstacle is that testing can take a very long time. "That process can take months or even years to get to the point where someone has a definitive diagnosis," Edgerly said. The introduction of a new blood test — one that can predict the likelihood of Alzheimer's developing in a person before symptoms begin — makes the process a lot less daunting, the expert noted. "It's much more common, more affordable, more accessible." The growing desire for transparency could also be related to the sharp rise in caregiving costs and the labor of caregiving itself. The national cost of caring for those with Alzheimer's and other dementias is projected to reach $384 billion in 2025 — up $24 billion from just a year ago, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Nearly 12 million family members and friends provide 19.2 billion hours of unpaid care, valued at an additional $413 billion. "Anyone who has cared for someone or has close friends who have been affected ... it's hard to not want to change that," said Edgerly, whose own mother suffered from a form of dementia. Three in five people surveyed said they would accept a moderate or even high risk level from taking medication to slow the disease's progression. While much research is still needed into the disease's progression, Edgerly said people can take steps to potentially reduce their risk. "Eating a diet that's rich in fruits and vegetables — the Mediterranean diet is probably the one most people know — exercising, handling things like high blood pressure … all of that appears to make a positive difference," she told Fox News Digital. For more Health articles, visit With over 140 treatment options in the works, Edgerly said Americans may feel more optimistic than ever about the reality of Alzheimer's, even as risk grows amid an aging population. "We're also seeing that there is a higher recognition of Alzheimer's," the expert noted. "For a long time — and still — many people don't get diagnosed. But those numbers are changing." "We're trying to get to the place where cancer is today — more openness, support and survivorship."
USA Today
29-04-2025
- Health
- USA Today
More than 7 million Americans have Alzheimer's. Research cuts could slow the fight.
More than 7 million Americans have Alzheimer's. Research cuts could slow the fight. Show Caption Hide Caption Top universities face hiring freezes as federal research funding at risk Princeton University and the University of California system have announced hiring freezes due to potential cuts in federal research funding, joining other top institutions like Harvard and Duke. Scripps News A new report suggests up to 7.2 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's disease, an increase of about 300,000 cases of the mind-robbing disease from a year ago. The Alzheimer's Association's annual facts and figures report released April 29 said the total annual cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia will reach $384 billion in 2025. That figure doesn't include the cost of unpaid care from 12 million family members and friends who provide billions of hours of care valued at more than $400 billion, according to the report. "The impact of Alzheimer's keeps growing and more and more families are affected," said Elizabeth Edgerly, the Alzheimer's Association's senior director of community programs and services. "The costs are rising, so it's more important than ever to find ways to address this growing issue." The upswing in cases comes as the Trump administration has proposed or enacted steep cuts at the National Institutes of Health, the nation's main source of federal grants for biomedical research, including Alzheimer's and dementia. George Vradenburg, who chairs UsAgainstAlzheimer's, said abrupt NIH funding cuts to universities studying Alzheimer's could harm patients. "We simply are losing a lot of time and a lot of insights for patients and families that support them," Vradenburg told USA TODAY. Do people want to know if they are at risk? Alzheimer's researchers believe the disease takes root with brain changes before memory and thinking problems surface. Researchers are developing blood tests that could lead to earlier diagnosis and give patients access to drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration. There are two FDA-approved Alzheimer's drugs targeting amyloid-beta protein, which accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. The two drugs ‒ Eli Lilly's Kisunla and Eisai and Biogen's drug Leqembi ‒ include warnings for MRI-visible injuries called amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, or ARIA, which can include brain swelling and tiny bleeds at the surface of the brain. The Alzheimer's Association released its survey alongside its annual report to gauge attitudes about the disease, early detection and diagnosis, potential early access to treatments and research. The survey of more than 1,700 Americans aged 45 and older revealed 79% would want to know if they had Alzheimer's disease before having symptoms. About 9 in 10 people would want to take a blood or other simple test if available, and 58% would accept moderate to very high risk while taking medication to slow early stages of Alzheimer's disease. The report also said the doctors must be prepared to help people interpret tests that detect early stages of the mind-robbing disease. To diagnose Alzheimer's, a doctor must examine a patient and conduct memory and thinking tests. Patients also might need to visit specialty clinics to undergo brain scans or spinal taps to detect whether the person has a telltale buildup of amyloid-beta protein. Edgerly said there's a shortage of neurologists and geriatricians who often diagnose the disease. Patients face long wait times to see these specialists, Edgerly said. She said primary-care doctors might be able to play a larger role in diagnosing patients if reliable blood tests emerge, but she said these doctors will need training to help patients and families. "There's a huge need for physicians to be able to identify it, and so primary care is part of it," Edgerly said. Is Alzheimer's research at risk? If diagnosed with Alzheimer's, more than 4 in 5 adults would be willing to participate in a clinical trial studying an experimental treatment to slow or cure the disease, the survey said. But scientists told USA TODAY that key research studies have been halted or interrupted in recent weeks. Former NIH Director Francis Collins warned research cuts would harm patients in studies or clinical trials. "Those are peoples' lives at risk," Collins told 60 Minutes. José Alejandro Luchsinger-Stuart, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Columbia University Medical Center, said the federal government's funding cuts halted his multi-state study of Alzheimer's and related dementias in people with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes. "We were interrupted smack in the middle of the study," Luchsinger-Stuart told USA TODAY. March 10, Luchsinger-Stuart was instructed to immediately stop work on his five-year study. Citing the New York City Ivy League university's failure to combat antisemitism, the federal government removed $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia. The Trump administration has demanded Columbia make widespread changes to its disciplinary policies and admissions before the funding is restored. Columbia has tried to negotiate with the federal government to reinstate funding rather than appeal the termination, Luchsinger-Stuart said. The Columbia-led study relied on annual grants of more than $16 million from the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Now that the funding has been halted, some research partners at 29 universities are laying off workers and closing study offices because they can't make rent payments, Luchsinger-Stuart said. The study tracked 1,700 people to assess cognitive decline in people with diabetes or pre-diabetes. The study sought to explore how blood flow in these patients could contribute to memory and thinking problems. Luchsinger-Stuart said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. raised questions about Alzheimer's researchers' focus on beta-amyloid as the cause of the mind-robbing disease. He noted that his research team wanted to answer a similar question: How does beta-amyloid affect patients with prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes? But without federal funding, the research project won't continue. "The infrastructure of the study is falling apart," Luchsinger-Stuart said. "We just stopped cold with absolute uncertainty about how we were going to wrap up things that were pending in the study." Study nixed because it 'had the word diversity in the title' Another study by University of California, Davis sought to answer dementia risk in racially diverse populations. Researchers were looking at how vascular risks such as high blood pressure might contribute to dementia. But on March 24, NIH informed the research team that a $10 million grant was being terminated. In a letter to the research team, NIH said the "award related to DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) no longer effectuates agency priorities." Charles DeCarli, a professor of neurology and Victor and Genevieve Orsi Chair in Alzheimer's Research at U.C. Davis, said the research team and study participants were stunned and confused. "Our study got terminated because it had the word diversity in the title," DeCarli said. Days after the funding was terminated, DeCarli and U.C. Davis appealed the termination, arguing that while the study recruited diverse populations, the intent was to collect a broad set of data to benefit all Americans. The funding has been fully restored, DeCarli said. NIH has paused 14 research grants across several universities due to compliance issues such as DEI language or antisemitism issues, said Andrew Nixon, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' director of communications. "NIH remains committed to advancing groundbreaking research in Alzheimer's disease," Nixon said. "However, we also have a responsibility to ensure that all grant proposals align with the established policies, including ensuring that language used in these proposals reflects NIH's commitment to non-discriminatory, merit-based research practices." The funding pause caused disruption at U.C. Davis, with about 50 study volunteers dropping out when they were informed about the temporary funding pause. The study has enrolled about 1,700 toward a goal of 2,250 with an equal mix of white, Black and Hispanic participants. "The participants were very confused," DeCarli said. "The system was closing down, and then it needed to restart."
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alzheimer's society calls on doctors to use newer early diagnostic testing due to improvements
New treatments and simple blood tests could change how doctors detect and treat Alzheimer's disease, according to a new report from the Alzheimer's Association. Blood tests to detect Alzheimer's are not yet approved for everyday use, but in research studies, they have improved the accuracy of diagnosis by up to 91%. Right now, doctors rely on brain scans called PET scans to find amyloid plaques or do a spinal tap to check for abnormal levels of proteins like beta-amyloid and tau. These tests are expensive, invasive and not always easy to access. Blood tests could make it much simpler to find early signs of the disease and be more widely available. "If you get a diagnosis early, you're actually able to access treatments that you cannot take later on in the disease process," Elizabeth Edgerly, PhD, a clinical psychologist and Alzheimer's Association spokesperson, said in an interview with ABC News. The report highlights that diagnosing Alzheimer's earlier could open the door to treatments when they have the best chance of working, helping people stay mentally sharper for longer and giving families more time to plan for the future. In the past two years, the FDA has approved two new drugs -- Leqembi and Kisunla -- that can slow the progression of early Alzheimer's. While they are not cures, they can help people preserve memory and thinking skills longer, offering more time with a better quality of life. This marks a major shift from older Alzheimer's treatments, which could only manage symptoms without slowing down the disease much. However, these new drugs carry significant challenges, including high costs, the need for frequent brain scans to monitor serious side effects and the risk of swelling or bleeding in the brain. In addition, only people in the early stages of Alzheimer's are eligible to receive these treatments. "Ultimately, we would love to see an array of treatments that are available that tackle different aspects of Alzheimer's, different factors that are contributing to it," Edgerly said. MORE: More people are dying from dementia, according to new study She noted that more than 140 different treatments are now in development, aiming to target different symptoms and stages of the disease. The report also lays out an updated understanding of Alzheimer's risk factors, dividing them into two categories. Some risks -- like age, genetics and family history -- cannot be changed. Others -- including diet, exercise, blood pressure, cholesterol, hearing and vision health -- are within a person's control. Addressing the modifiable risks can have a significant impact on a person's Alzheimer's risk, the report noted. In fact, Edgerly said that nearly half of all dementias could be preventable by taking better care of modifiable risks earlier in life. "I could help reduce my risk of getting Alzheimer's in later life if I'm really good about treating high blood pressure in my 40s and 30s," she explained. The report also announced the launch of ALZ-NET, a new nationwide tracking system that follows patients in real time to collect data on the long-term safety and effectiveness of the new medications, and to better understand who benefits most from early intervention. Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia, is a neurodegenerative condition that can start developing 20 years before symptoms appear. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. MORE: Gene Hackman's wife died of hantavirus; actor died of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's: Officials Currently, more than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's, many of whom remain undiagnosed, according to the report. By the year 2060, that number is expected to grow to more than 13 million. Edgerly said she hoped that faster diagnosis and earlier access to treatment will improve care for Alzheimer's and other dementia patients. "The opportunities it would present to find people earlier in the process without having to go through six months or a year to get to that diagnosis would make a huge difference in helping people access treatments during the timeframe where they could be helpful," she said. Dr. Allen Chang is the chief resident of the Geriatric Medicine Subspecialty Residency Program at Dalhousie University and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit. Alzheimer's society calls on doctors to use newer early diagnostic testing due to improvements originally appeared on
