Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder leading to dementia. About 11% of the population age 65 and older and about one-third of people age 85 and older suffer from the disease. The world is facing a dementia epidemic, and the number of people affected will reach 81.1 million by 2040. Annual global cost is estimated to surpass $1.1 trillion in 2030. Less than 1% of Alzheimer’s disease are familial cases with early onset caused by genetic defects, and a majority of cases are sporadic without known causes. Unfortunately the mechanisms leading to development of Alzheimer’s disease remain elusive, and currently there is no effective prevention and treatment for AD. There has been tremendous scientific progress in uncovering the myth of this “most dreaded” disease and many potential preventions and treatments have being tested. Alzheimer's disease is a global health priority, and we are at a critical time to find effective preventions and a cure for this prevalent aging-related disorder.

Hear about the current understanding of the development of Alzheimer’s disease as well as the future of prevention and cure from Dr. Weihong Song, Canada Research Chair in Alzheimer's Disease and a Full Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UBC.

Recorded October 27, 2016, at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong.