Dávid Major, Norbert Dósa, Péter Balázs, Mónika Fekete, Kata Pártos, Dorottya Árva, Ágota Mészáros, András Terebessy, Ádám G. Tabák, Vince Fazekas‐Pongor
Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is anticipated to emerge as a dominant contributor to global disease burden in the coming decades, coinciding with an unprecedented expansion of disease-modifying pharmacological development pipelines. This mini-review analyzes global, regional, and national trends in AD incidence and prevalence between 2010 and 2019 and discusses their implications for future pharmacological research and therapeutic implementation. In 2019, the global incidence and prevalence of AD were estimated at 93.52 (80.35–106.40) and 667.20 (572.24–762.80) per 100,000 individuals, respectively. The highest rates were observed in Japan, the European Union, and the United States, with Japan reporting an incidence of 421.62 and a prevalence of 3079.09 per 100,000, whereas the lowest rates were documented in Israel and China. Globally, annual increases in incidence and prevalence were 0.239 (0.215–0.261) and 0.256 (0.233–0.277) per 100,000, respectively, with the most pronounced changes observed in East Asian countries. Age-standardized analyses revealed broadly similar trends across regions, underscoring population aging as a dominant driver of AD occurrence, while additional contributors include improved diagnostic intensity, reduced disease-specific mortality, and shifts in lifestyle and cardiometabolic risk profiles. Importantly, these epidemiological patterns have direct relevance for pharmacology-driven AD research. The rapid expansion of disease-modifying pharmacological therapies, including anti-amyloid, anti-tau, and emerging vascular- and inflammation-targeted agents, necessitates large-scale, geographically diverse clinical trials and health-system preparedness for therapeutic deployment. Country-specific prevalence and incidence data are therefore critical for optimizing trial site selection, forecasting treatment demand, and enabling precision pharmacology approaches that account for demographic structure, comorbidity burden, and regional risk profiles.