Alzheimer's disease set to cost the U.S. $1.1 trillion by 2025

Alzheimer’s disease, the irreversible progressive brain disorder that destroys memory, is set to cost Americans $1.1 trillion by 2025, if we don’t find a solution soon, the Alzheimer’s Association says.

“In the last few years, we have seen an increase in the number of people affected by the disease. There are almost 5.5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s in the United States today, and globally, that number is upwards of about 30 million,” Maria Carrillo, Ph.D., chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Association (ALZ) tells FOX Business.

This week, The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference will kick off in London, England, where the world’s best doctors, researchers, and clinicians will gather to share their latest research, theories, and discoveries to help prevent and stop Alzheimer’s and other dementias from growing worldwide.

Carrillo says while there is still no cure or treatment for the disease, the industry has been making huge strides in finding ways to prevent the disease before it’s too late.

“We’ve discovered that Alzheimer’s disease—the hallmarks, the protein changes---did not start when our loved ones received the diagnosis. That actually, the disease started maybe 15 to 20 years prior and what that means is that you may have a window of opportunity where you can either stop or delay the disease before your memories start to go and before brain damage is too set in to make changes, so that’s really exciting, and people are talking now about preventing Alzheimer’s disease like we’ve never done before.

The Alzheimer’s Association is set to release multiple studies on how lifestyle factors such as diet, stress, and sleep may help prevent brain decline.