ABSTRACT
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative form of dementia, that is responsible for 50 to 70% of all dementias. With increasing life expectancy, caring for dementia has become a major societal challenge. Considerable neuronal loss would already have occurred by the time mild cognitive impairment is diagnosed. Hence, there is an urgent need to recognize the preclinical disease for the purpose of research into preventive treatment options.
Currently, biomarkers have been included in preclinical evaluation. There are clinical, imaging-based, genetic, molecular, and cerebrospinal fluid-based biomarkers, as well as function-based tools for early diagnosis. However, none of these biomarkers can predict the disease as a stand-alone tool. The decision to evaluate is made by personal choice of the physician (as well as the informed patient) in the absence of specific and sensitive markers and lack of promising therapeutic options. Subjective cognitive dysfunction is currently being considered as a concept for treatment of conditions with adverse health outcomes, including AD.
