More than 500,000 deaths per year in the U.S. may now be attributed to Alzheimer’s disease according to a new study by the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago featured in an NBC News story by senior health reporter JoNel Aleccia. The data about the way deaths are estimated suggests that Alzheimer’s may indeed be the third leading killer behind heart disease and cancer. Prior to this, Alzheimer’s disease ranked sixth among the leading causes of mortality in this country. The researchers said the current figures are based on inaccurate death certificate reports.

The good news for Alzheimer’s research is this information may lead to higher funding for prevention and treatment. Funding could be as much as $2 billion per year more which is four times what’s now being spent.

“Determining the true effects of dementia in this country is important for raising public awareness and identifying research priorities,” said Bryan D. James, an assistant professor with the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, who led the study published this week in the journal, Neurology. “In the past 10 to 15 years, we’ve been able to make major strides in terms of the death rates from cancer, heart disease, HIV and AIDS,” James said, adding that such gains were a result of research attention and funding. “Now it’s time to make a similar investment in Alzheimer’s.”

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