• Kobsar B

• Aging
• Brain
• Neurodegenerative Diseases

Abstract: "Aging of the world's population is leading to a substantial increase in the numbers of individuals with sequelae of diseases and injuries. Rates of years lived with disability are declining much more slowly than mortality rates. The non-fatal dimensions of disease and injury will require more and more attention from health systems." 1 The most common neurodegenerative disorder is aging. With increasing life expectancy of the population, the number of elderly person's increases in industrialized societies and healthcare providers will increasingly be confronted with age-related changes in the brain. In America, the long anticipated Baby Boomer surge started in 2011 when the first of that generation turned 65. The estimated escalation of 71 million more to reach 65 by 2030 presents a range of concerns for health conditions including "age associated brain degeneration" (AABD). Why does all of this matter? Because many people have, or will, experience AABD down the road and many more people will have to watch or care for someone that loses their quality of life. The entire population will have to bear the societal cost of AABD. For example, dementia has been growing steadily for years, and the 2010 figure of dementia is between $157 and $215 billion.2 Whatever the number of cases is today, it's about to explode because the Baby Boomers are in their golden years so sooner or later, AABD is likely to come your way. However, there are things that can be done about it now such as; determining if you have it, discovering why you have it and learning what to do about it.

This abstract is reproduced with the permission of the publisher.