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Alzheimer's and dementia: Diagnosis, assessment, and disease monitoring global, regional, and national burden of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (ADODs) and their risk factors, 1990–2021: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease study 2021
Fang Wang, Dongxin Li, Xuetian Gao, Xingye Zhang, Xu Shi, Yibo Guo. Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring, 2025-04-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Between 1990 and 2021, ADOD incidence, prevalence, deaths, and DALYs increased significantly. DALYs grew 295.45% and fatalities grew 167.72%. Age-standardized rates (ASRs) rose for both genders, with women generally higher but men showing steeper increases. ASRs correlated positively with Sociodemographic Index. Risk factor contribution to DALYs and death rose by 4.1%. In 2021, metabolic factors and high fasting plasma glucose most influenced ADODs. The global ADOD burden has risen since 1990. Early screening, especially for elderly women, is crucial. Policymakers must act to reverse this trend. Highlights: Based on Global Burden of Disease data 1990-2021, the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years due to Alzheimer's and dementia are depicted globally, regionally, and nationally.The effects of gender and age were explored.The contribution of different risk factors to the disease was studied.
Key findings
- Between 1990 and 2021, ADOD incidence, prevalence, deaths, and DALYs increased significantly.
- DALYs grew 295.45% and fatalities grew 167.72%.
- Age-standardized rates (ASRs) rose for both genders, with women generally higher but men showing steeper increases.
- ASRs correlated positively with Sociodemographic Index.
- Risk factor contribution to DALYs and death rose by 4.1%.
Why it matters
This global analysis found that the burden of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias increased significantly between 1990 and 2021, with metabolic factors and high fasting plasma glucose having the most influence in 2021. The authors say early screening, especially for elderly women, is crucial and that policymakers must act to reverse this trend.
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Study details
- Effect size295.45%; 167.72%; 4.1%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 36 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 38 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring: journal h-index 86 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 8 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Yibo Guo holds only 3 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Shanxi Medical University: institution h-index 258 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40438037) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 36 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 36 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 38 out of 100. |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1002/dad2.70126
- PubMed: 40438037
- Original source →
- Free full text: Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Wang, F., Li, D., Gao, X., Zhang, X., Shi, X., & Guo, Y. (2025). Alzheimer's and dementia: Diagnosis, assessment, and disease monitoring global, regional, and national burden of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (ADODs) and their risk factors, 1990–2021: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease study 2021. Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring. https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70126
Vancouver
Wang F, Li D, Gao X, Zhang X, Shi X, Guo Y. Alzheimer's and dementia: Diagnosis, assessment, and disease monitoring global, regional, and national burden of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (ADODs) and their risk factors, 1990–2021: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease study 2021. Alzheimer s & Dementia Diagnosis Assessment & Disease Monitoring. 2025. doi:10.1002/dad2.70126. PMID: 40438037.
BibTeX
@article{wang2025-40438037,
author = {Wang, Fang and Li, Dongxin and Gao, Xuetian and Zhang, Xingye and Shi, Xu and Guo, Yibo},
title = {{Alzheimer's and dementia: Diagnosis, assessment, and disease monitoring global, regional, and national burden of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias (ADODs) and their risk factors, 1990–2021: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease study 2021}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia Diagnosis Assessment \& Disease Monitoring},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/dad2.70126},
pmid = {40438037},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/dad2.70126}
}
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