According to a new report released Monday, the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease isn’t creeping up, it’s briskly rising.

An estimated 35 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, according to the 2009 World Alzheimer’s Report. The figure is a 10 percent increase over 2005 numbers.

Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, said, “The number of people affected by Alzheimer’s is growing at a rapid rate, and the increasing personal costs will have significant impact on the world’s economies and health care systems. We must make the fight against Alzheimer’s a priority here in the United States and worldwide.”

The report by London-based nonprofit Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), an international federation of 71 national Alzheimer organizations (including the Alzheimer’s Association), indicates that the number of people with dementia is expected to grow sharply to 65.7 million in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050.

(via USA Today)