Editorial: Alzheimer’s Disease: Original Mechanisms and Translational Impact

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive and irreversible worsening of cognitive functions, inability to perform everyday activities, and mood disorders. Currently, AD is considered the leading cause of dementia and hospitalization of older adults in nursing homes. In the United States, 5.8 million people has been calculated to suffer from AD in 2019, 81% being 75 years or older; the percentage of individuals with AD increases with age, from 3% of people aged 65–74 to 32% of people aged 85 and older. Women are more affected by AD than men (M/F 2/1) probably because of their longer lifespan. Finally, African Americans and Hispanics are about twice likely to develop AD as older Whites (Alzheimer’s Association, 2019). The lack of any updated epidemiologic survey about AD in Europe is quite disappointing; the most accurate analysis dates back 2017 and reveals an estimated prevalence at 5.05% (men 3.31% and women 7.13%) increasing with age (Niu et al., 2017). In Europe, about 3 million people was estimated to suffer from AD (Mayer et al., 2018).