The number of people with Alzheimer's disease is expected to triple in the next 40 years, as baby boomers continue to age, according to a new study by researchers from Rush University Medical Center.

"It will place a huge burden on society, disabling more people who develop the disease, challenging their caregivers, and straining medical and social safety nets," says study co-author Jennifer Weuve, assistant professor of medicine, Rush Institute for Healthy Aging at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Researchers say the new projections draw attention to an "urgent need" for more research, treatments and preventive strategies to reduce the impact of the epidemic. The study found that the total number of people with Alzheimer's dementia in 2050 is projected to be 13.8 million, up from 4.7 million in 2010. About 7 million of those with the disease would be age 85 or older in 2050.