Alzheimer's Disease Risk Factors

Risk Factors

Age: The risk of developing Alzheimer’s increases with age. Approximately 5 percent of Americans between the ages of 65 to 74, and almost half of those 85 years and older suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

Genetics: Early-onset Alzheimer's has been clearly shown to be genetic in origin. While mutations on chromosomes 9 and 19 have been linked with late-onset Alzheimer's (the most common form), not everyone with the mutations develops the disease. The relationship between genetics and late-onset Alzheimer's is not fully known.

Other: Some studies have implicated prior traumatic head injury, lower education level, and female gender as possible risk factors. Scientists are finding increasing evidence that some of the risk factors for heart disease and stroke, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and low levels of the vitamin folate, may also increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. However, at the present time, no definitive causes have been identified. Evidence for physical, mental, and social activities as protective factors against Alzheimer's disease is also increasing.

Some of the information in this section of our website was obtained from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center, the World Health Organization, the National Center for Health Statistics, the National Institute on Aging, the FDA, the National Library of Medicine and the U.S. Department of Labor (Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Reviewed on 2/14/2007

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