How Does Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Affect Younger Adults?

Older adults aren’t the only ones living with Alzheimer’s. Learn about the early-onset variant of the disease, which affects adults under the age of 65.

By Sam Walters
Jul 13, 2023 3:00 PMAug 11, 2023 12:39 PM
Early Onset Alzheimers
(Credit: Mary Long/Shutterstock)

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We all forget things from time to time. Whether it’s a mistaken name or a misplaced wallet, forgetfulness is a normal part of life. But older adults are particularly prone to worrying about their memory. According to recent research, around 48 percent of adults in their 50s and early 60s anticipate developing dementia in the United States as they age, and around 44 percent worry about the possibility of memory-deteriorating disorders.

Of course, that tendency to worry makes sense, since Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are much more common among older adults than younger adults. But just because Alzheimer’s tends to affect seniors doesn’t mean that the disease only affects seniors.

In fact, as many as 5 to 10 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease develop their initial symptoms prior to the age of 65, making the disorder one of the most common forms of dementia (if not the most common) among younger adults.


Read More: The Origins and Young History of Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

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