Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease is important because it increases the chances of early treatment and may, in the future, enable pre-emptive and even preventative therapies. Groups at risk for Alzheimer’s disease include individuals with mild cognitive impairment, elderly people with subjective memory complaint, first-degree relatives of Alzheimer’s disease patients, people with Down’s syndrome and those who have had a serious traumatic brain injury. Populations with multiple cardiovascular risk factors and low educational attainment also appear to be more susceptible. Cognitive testing, neuroimaging and various blood and cerebrospinal fluid assays may help identify those individuals who are most at risk. At present, the only approved therapy for mild Alzheimer’s disease is the use of cholinesterase inhibitors, but additional therapeutic options for mild Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment, including proactive treatment strategies, are likely to be available in the future, making early detection important.