New Alzheimer's survey shows most in state want early detection

(FOX 9) - The Alzheimer’s Association released its 2025 Facts and Figures Report showing the number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease has reached 7.2 million Americans, topping the 7 million threshold for the first time.

Alzheimer’s increasing

What we know:

According to the report, the number of Minnesotans living with Alzheimer's has remained stable at 102,000.

However, the brain disease has now jumped from the sixth leading cause of death in Minnesota to number four.

"When I started back in this organization, I think we were still at 5 million and now that we're at 7 million, that's scary to me," said Susan Parriott, CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota – North Dakota. "That's a big number. So, we need to stand up and do something about this."

What's new:

In conjunction with the Facts and Figures Report, this year the Alzheimer’s Association released the results of a national survey of 1,700 adults.

One of the important findings is that 79% said they would want to know if they had Alzheimer's before they developed symptoms.  
It’s a new revelation as the FDA has approved two new drugs, Leqembi and Kisunla, to slow the progression of the plaques in the brain that lead to the disease.

The survey also found that 92% would want access to those drugs.

Another nine of 10 want to see a blood test to detect Alzheimer’s.

Local perspective:

The Donahue family in Faribault, Minnesota, is one of the many families hoping for positive results from the new drugs.

Julie Donahue’s husband, Tim, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at 55 years old. They sought out a cognitive test for Tim after a pattern of confusion in tracking down a lost item.

"I did not expect it at all," said Julie of the diagnosis. "He had a history of cancer, and I thought it was the cancer coming back. I had no idea it was Alzheimer’s."

The two new drugs are showing initial results in patients who are using them.

Julie says Tim’s Leqembi treatments have led to a 30% reduction in his amyloid pacque.

"We are talking about slowing the disease progression by, say, 30% over an 18- month period," said Dr. Ronald Petersen, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. "What that translates to patients is, we try to keep them stable, perhaps for another five, six, seven months at their current level of functioning.  Maybe as the drug goes out longer, say to 36 months, we might be buying nine, 10, 11 months of stability."

These drugs are not a cure, but they’re buying families time.

For Tim and Julie Donahue, it’s buying more precious moments with their grandchildren.

For an extended interview with Dr. Petersen on the new Alzheimer’s drugs, please go to the Fox 9 YouTube channel.