Background/Objectives. Contrary to popular belief, the condition of dementia is not an actual discrete disease, but rather a group of symptoms, most notable of which is the disturbance of memory and social ability, often severe enough to impair daily functioning. As a result, it has been a major cause of functional deterioration among varying populations in the world. This study is aimed at reviewing the epidemiology of dementia in Arab countries in terms of its prevalence, distribution, and risk factors. Methods. A systematic literature review was conducted using articles published in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and other local journals between 1990 and 2018. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 18 studies were concluded to be eligible for the review. Results. Prevalence studies demonstrated that dementia is indeed a prevalent condition in Arab countries, ranging between 1.1% and 2.3% among age groups of 50 years and older, as well as between 13.5% and 18.5% among age groups of 80 years and above. However, these results are not different from those of many other countries in the world. Moreover, prevalence was found to vary depending on sociodemographic characteristics. Major risk factors of dementia included hypertension, low income, and low education, while the risk of developing dementia is increased by obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular risk factors. Despite the growing evidence regarding the epidemiological distribution and determinants of dementia worldwide, studies from the Arab region remain scarce. Conclusion. This systematic review highlights the need for population-based studies to provide necessary information for developing preventive and curative strategies specific to the Arab region.

中文翻译：

---

阿拉伯国家阿尔茨海默病和痴呆症的流行病学：系统评价。

背景/目标。与普遍的看法相反，痴呆症并不是一种实际的离散疾病，而是一组症状，其中最值得注意的是记忆和社交能力的障碍，通常严重到足以损害日常功能。因此，它已成为世界上不同人群功能退化的主要原因。本研究旨在从患病率、分布和危险因素方面回顾阿拉伯国家痴呆症的流行病学。方法。使用 1990 年至 2018 年间在 PubMed、Embase、Scopus 和其他本地期刊上发表的文章进行了系统的文献回顾。在应用纳入和排除标准后，共有 18 项研究被认为符合审查条件。结果. 患病率研究表明，痴呆症确实是阿拉伯国家的一种普遍疾病，在 50 岁及以上年龄组中为 1.1% 至 2.3%，在 80 岁及以上年龄组中为 13.5% 至 18.5%。然而，这些结果与世界上许多其他国家的结果并没有什么不同。此外，发现流行率因社会人口学特征而异。痴呆的主要危险因素包括高血压、低收入和教育程度低，而肥胖、糖尿病和心血管危险因素会增加患痴呆的风险。尽管关于全球痴呆症的流行病学分布和决定因素的证据越来越多，但来自阿拉伯地区的研究仍然很少。结论. 该系统评价强调需要以人群为基础的研究为制定针对阿拉伯地区的预防和治疗策略提供必要的信息。