More and more of our loved ones could develop dementia, as the number of diagnoses is projected to more than double by 2050, according to new research.

In the absence of large-scale prevention efforts, the number of people who are diagnosed with dementia each year could total 24.7 million by 2050, up from 11.4 million in 2023, according to a study by Australian researchers published in JAMA Psychology. Women and people who live in low- and middle-income countries already have higher rates of dementia, a trend that’s likely to continue, according to the findings.

While the researchers didn’t pinpoint an exact reason why dementia affects populations differently, they say the prospect of more cases warrants urgency in investing in prevention efforts. The prospect of 24 million new cases of dementia each year would place “enormous pressure on individuals, families, health systems and economies around the world,” Henry Brodaty, co-director of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing at the University of New South Wales Sydney and a co-author of the study, said in a statement.

“We cannot simply wait for people to develop dementia and then respond,” Brodaty said. “We need to act across the spectrum—from reducing modifiable risk factors and identifying people at risk earlier, through to improving diagnosis, treatment and care.”

The researchers studied data from more than 38,000 people diagnosed with dementia that span 18 countries or territories on six continents. 6 for men—but the difference was even starker depending on where people lived. 3 in high-income countries.

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