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Prevalence, deaths and disability-adjusted life years due to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in Middle East and North Africa, 1990–2021
Fatemeh Amiri, Saeid Safiri, Ali Shamekh, Ali Asghar Ebrahimi, Mark J. M. Sullman, Ali‐Asghar Kolahi. Scientific Reports, 2025-02-27
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Alzheimer's disease (AD) ranks among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The objective was to evaluate the burden of AD and other dementias among the countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by age and sex from 1990 to 2021. The data were sourced from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2021. The estimates are presented as counts and age-standardised rates per 100,000 accompanied by 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). In 2021, AD and other dementias recorded an age-standardised prevalence of 772.7 per 100,000 in the MENA region (95% UI 671.2-877.6 per 100,000). This rate decreased by 4.9% in comparison to 1990, marking a statistically significant change. AD and other dementias also accounted for approximately 73.79 thousand deaths in the region in 2021, with the age-standardised rate decreasing by 8.6% compared to 1990. Moreover, the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) rate was 476.3 per 100,000 population (95% UI 225.6-1004.2), representing a 7.7% decrease from 1990 to 2021. Lebanon registered the highest point prevalence per 100,000 at 828.25, while the United Arab Emirates recorded the lowest at 652.43. The age-standardised point prevalence decreased from 1990 to 2021 in 13 of the MENA countries, while no significant changes were observed in eight of countries. Additionally, in 2021, women experienced higher prevalence rates, DALYs, compared to men. In the MENA region, age-standardised dementia prevalence rose with age in both sexes. The burden of dementia in MENA has decreased from 1990 to 2021, but it remains higher than global estimates. Furthermore, the findings indicate that dementia imposes a greater burden on the female population compared to males. To achieve a more accurate estimation of the burden of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, more systematic studies in low- to middle-income countries within the MENA region are required.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Amiri, F., Safiri, S., Shamekh, A., Ebrahimi, A. A., Sullman, M. J. M., & Kolahi, A. (2025). Prevalence, deaths and disability-adjusted life years due to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in Middle East and North Africa, 1990–2021. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89899-w
Vancouver
Amiri F, Safiri S, Shamekh A, Ebrahimi AA, Sullman MJM, Kolahi A. Prevalence, deaths and disability-adjusted life years due to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in Middle East and North Africa, 1990–2021. Scientific Reports. 2025. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-89899-w. PMID: 40016362.
BibTeX
@article{amiri2025-40016362,
author = {Amiri, Fatemeh and Safiri, Saeid and Shamekh, Ali and Ebrahimi, Ali Asghar and Sullman, Mark J. M. and Kolahi, Ali‐Asghar},
title = {{Prevalence, deaths and disability-adjusted life years due to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in Middle East and North Africa, 1990–2021}},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-025-89899-w},
pmid = {40016362},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-89899-w}
}
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.
Key findings
- This rate decreased by 4.9% in comparison to 1990, marking a statistically significant change.
- AD and other dementias also accounted for approximately 73.79 thousand deaths in the region in 2021, with the age-standardised rate decreasing by 8.6% compared to 1990.
- The age-standardised point prevalence decreased from 1990 to 2021 in 13 of the MENA countries, while no significant changes were observed in eight of countries.
- Additionally, in 2021, women experienced higher prevalence rates, DALYs, compared to men.
- Furthermore, the findings indicate that dementia imposes a greater burden on the female population compared to males.
Why it matters
This analysis of Global Burden of Disease data describes the prevalence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years from Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in the Middle East and North Africa from 1990 to 2021. It reports burden trends and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Alzheimer's in numbers →
Study details
- Effect sizedecreased by 4.9%; 8.6%; 7.7%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 49/100
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.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Scientific Reports) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Scientific Reports: journal h-index 463 (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 | 3 / 7 | Cited 19 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 12.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 3 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 19 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Ali‐Asghar Kolahi: h-index 67 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences: institution h-index 381 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40016362) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-89899-w
- PubMed: 40016362
- Original source →
- Free full text: Scientific Reports →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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