Meanwhile, Alzheimer's advocates still grapple with a basic question: Is the rate of Alzheimer's going down? A study in JAMA in November found that even as scientists have made no progress in changing the course of Alzheimer's, overall dementia rates, which include Alzheimer's and other dementias, appear to be dramatically declining. The paper cast doubt over a major talking point of the Alzheimer's lobby: that as baby boomers age, the number of Americans living with Alzheimer's will explode from the current five million to 14 million in 2050. The study also suggested that lifestyle changes may make a difference.