Dementia Detection Possible 9 Years Before Diagnosis

Older adults without dementia who have falls, difficulties with balance, or difficulties with problem solving are more likely to be diagnosed with dementia within the next nine years than people without those issues. At baseline, those who were later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) reported poorer overall health status and had evidence of subclinical cognitive impairment. The average time between the baseline assessment and diagnosis of ADRD varied from 4.7 years for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), 7.7 years for frontal temporal dementia (FTD), to 8.3 years for Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

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