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Cited by 501Dementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchAlzheimer's disease research and treatmentsCancer-related cognitive impairment studies

Alzheimer’s Disease – Why We Need Early Diagnosis

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Rasmussen, Jill, Langerman, Haya·2019·Degenerative Neurological and Neuromuscular Disease
DOI 10.2147/dnnd.s228939PMC PMC6935598
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Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia. However, neither Alzheimer's disease nor Alzheimer's dementia are an inevitable consequence of aging. This review provides an overview of the issues involved in a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease before an individual meets the criteria for Alzheimer's dementia. It examines how Alzheimer's disease diagnosis rates can be improved, the implications of an early diagnosis for the individual, carer and society, and the importance of risk reduction to prevent or delay progression. Although no disease-modifying agents capable of reversing the initial pathological changes are currently available, it may be possible to prevent or delay the development of dementia in a proportion of the population by modifying exposure to common risk factors. In other individuals, diagnosing the disease or risk of disease early is still valuable so that the individual and their carers have time to make choices and plan for the future, and to allow access to treatments that can help manage symptoms. Primary healthcare professionals play a pivotal role in recognising individuals at risk, recommending lifestyle changes in mid-adult life that can prevent or slow down the disease, and in timely diagnosis. Early intervention is the optimal strategy, because the patient's level of function is preserved for longer.

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  • Pathological changes in the brain begin to accumulate many years before the appearance of clinical symptoms.

    “pathological changes in the brain begin to accumulate many years before the appearance of clinical symptoms [12]”

    From Theranostic Nanoplatforms for Alzheimer's Disease: A Critical Analysis of Conceptual Contradictions (2026) · cites this paper as [12]

    The ‘Improving Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis Rates’ section says that people with preclinical Alzheimer’s disease can have signs of pathology despite having no cognitive symptoms. It does not establish that those pathological changes begin accumulating many years before clinical symptoms. Its reference to up to eight years concerns detection of mild cognitive impairment before dementia symptoms, not pathology before any clinical symptoms; page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Authors
Rasmussen, J., & Langerman, H.
Affiliations
MSD (UK) Limited (United Kingdom) (GB)
Corresponding author
Rasmussen, Jill
ORCID
Venue
Degenerative Neurological and Neuromuscular Disease
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2019-12
Volume
Volume 9
Pages
123-130
ISSN
1179-9900 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2147/dnnd.s228939
PMC
PMC6935598
OpenAlex
W2995724321
Cited by
501
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 72 · 2025: 94 · 2024: 138 · 2023: 95 · 2022: 63 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 12
FWCI
20.32
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Degenerative Neurological and Neuromuscular Disease (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Cancer-related cognitive impairment studies
Keywords
Alzheimer's disease, early diagnosis, dementia, risk factors, risk mitigation, disease-modifying therapy, primary care, caregivers, early intervention, lifestyle modification, symptom management

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