Twiss Emma, McPherson Carley, Weaver Donald F
Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada.
Lakeridge Health, Oshawa, ON L1G 8A2, Canada.
Neurol Int. 2025 Jun 14;17(6):92. doi: 10.3390/neurolint17060092.
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a global issue, with increasing incidence and prevalence as the world's population ages and life expectancy increases. Projections indicate that by 2050, over 150 million individuals worldwide will be personally living with AD, an impending crisis made worse by the absence of cure therapies. Moreover, the risk factor relationship of dementia with rising global temperatures and air pollution further necessitates the urgency of a coordinated international response. With an extensive economic and emotional burden, AD is no longer just a disease; it is a worldwide societal crisis. This review presents five calls to action to address the AD global health emergency. First, AD research must be approached as an internationally performed activity, involving standardized data sharing, collaborative innovation, and improved access to pharmaceutical studies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), alongside increased diversity, inclusion, and equity in research. Second, there must be a commitment to develop universally accessible, affordable, and non-invasive diagnostic tools for AD. Third, advancements in AD therapeutics should prioritize the development of affordable agents, allowing for widespread geographic distribution. Fourth, we identify focus areas for global dementia risk reduction: sleep, head injury prevention, exercise, learning, and diet (SHIELD risk reduction strategy). Fifth, improving care for individuals with AD requires eliminating stigma through educational programs for both the public and caregivers. The escalating AD crisis demands an unprecedented global coalition in research, diagnostics, therapeutics, prevention, and education to avoid a future where the disease becomes the defining crisis of our era.
阿尔茨海默病（AD）是一个全球性问题，随着世界人口老龄化和预期寿命的增加，其发病率和患病率也在上升。预测表明，到2050年，全球将有超过1.5亿人患有AD，由于缺乏治愈疗法，这一迫在眉睫的危机愈发严重。此外，痴呆症与全球气温上升和空气污染之间的风险因素关系，进一步凸显了国际协调应对的紧迫性。AD带来了巨大的经济和情感负担，它不再仅仅是一种疾病；而是一场全球性的社会危机。本综述提出了五项行动呼吁，以应对AD全球卫生紧急情况。首先，AD研究必须作为一项国际开展的活动来进行，包括标准化数据共享、合作创新，改善低收入和中等收入国家（LMICs）参与药物研究的机会，同时提高研究的多样性、包容性和公平性。其次，必须致力于开发普遍可及、价格可承受且非侵入性的AD诊断工具。第三，AD治疗学的进展应优先开发价格可承受的药物，以实现广泛的地理分布。第四，我们确定了全球降低痴呆症风险的重点领域：睡眠、预防头部受伤、运动、学习和饮食（SHIELD风险降低策略）。第五，改善对AD患者的护理需要通过面向公众和护理人员的教育项目消除污名化。不断升级的AD危机需要在研究、诊断、治疗、预防和教育方面形成前所未有的全球联盟，以避免该病成为我们这个时代决定性危机的未来。
