Towards a future where Alzheimer's disease pathology is stopped before the onset of dementia

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major healthcare challenge with no curative treatment at present. To address this challenge, we need a paradigm shift, where we focus on pre-dementia stages of AD. In this Perspective, we outline a strategy to move towards a future with personalized medicine for AD by preparing for and investing in effective and patient-orchestrated diagnosis, prediction and prevention of the dementia stage. While focusing on AD, this Perspective also discusses studies that do not specify the cause of dementia. Future personalized prevention strategies encompass multiple components, including tailored combinations of disease-modifying interventions and lifestyle. By empowering the public and patients to be more actively engaged in the management of their health and disease and by developing improved strategies for diagnosis, prediction and prevention, we can pave the way for a future with personalized medicine, in which AD pathology is stopped to prevent or delay the onset of dementia. This Perspective outlines a strategy to move towards a future with personalized medicine for Alzheimer's disease by empowering patients in orchestrating diagnosis, prediction and prevention of the onset of dementia.

Automated summary

Alzheimer's disease is a significant healthcare challenge with no current cure. This perspective proposes a strategy to shift the focus towards the pre-dementia stages and invest in personalized medicine for diagnosis, prediction and prevention. It suggests empowering patients and the public to actively participate in managing their health and disease, and developing improved strategies for early intervention.