Global Public Interest and Seasonal Variations in Alzheimer's Disease: Evidence From Google Trends

Abstract

Background: As the world's population ages, Alzheimer's disease (AD), a common neurodegenerative disease, is a major challenge to human health in the future. Understanding the information needs on AD of the global public can contribute to the prevention and control of AD. The purpose of this study was to explore global public interest and seasonal variations in AD using Google Trends (GT).Methods: GT was used to obtain relative search volume (RSV) of the keyword “Alzheimer's disease” in six English-speaking countries (Australia, New Zealand, the USA, the UK, Canada, and Ireland) and the world from January 2004 to December 2020. Cosinor analysis was applied to detect the seasonality of AD-related RSV. Time series plot was used to observe the trend of annual mean AD-related RSV. Globally, hot topics and top rising topics related to AD were also analyzed. In addition, we also explored the geographical distribution characteristics of AD-related RSV.Results: AD-related RSV declined steadily from January 2004 to December 2013 and rose steadily from January 2014 to December 2020. Search popularity of AD is low in the southern hemisphere, compared to the northern hemisphere. Cosinor analysis showed that there were significant seasonal variations in AD-related RSV in six English-speaking countries (all P < 0.05). Interestingly, regardless of the hemisphere, peaks were observed in the winter months and trough in the summer months. Topics related to the characteristics and etiology of AD, early onset AD, AD-related associations, care of AD patients, and diseases that can easily be confused with AD had received special attention.Conclusions: There is increasing global public interest for AD and a significant seasonal variation in AD. A better understanding of the seasonal variations and public interest of AD by governments, health workers and patients can contribute to the prevention, management, and treatment of AD.

Transcript-Level In Silico Analysis of Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Gene Biomarkers and Their Evaluation with Bioactive Flavonoids to Explore Therapeutic Interactions

“…Global statistics show that AD affected 6.2 million Americans aged 65 and older in 2021. Without medical advancements to manage or cure the disease, this figure is projected to nearly double to 13.8 million by 2060. , In Southeast Asia, dementia of the Alzheimer’s type accounted for 59.8% of all dementia cases in 2021 . Due to a rapidly growing elderly population, an estimated two million people in Pakistan are currently living with AD, and this number is steadily rising …”

“…AD has been designated as a global public health priority due to its expected tripled prevalence from 2015 to 2050, with the greatest impact expected in low- and middle-income countries. , Mixed etiology, overlapping symptoms, variation in presentation, and a lack of standardized accessible biomarkers leave AD still difficult to diagnose . Even after more than a century of rigorous research, no disease-modifying treatment yet exists, and only symptomatic management is provided to AD patients .…”