World Alzheimer Report: The Benefits of Early Diagnosis and Intervention

This is the third of the Alzheimer's Disease International's World's Alzheimer Report.  Alzheimer's Disease International works for an improved quality of life for people with dementia and their carers around the world, and believes that policy and practice should be based on the best available evidence.

This year’s World Alzheimer Report 2011 provides the findings of an independent research group which  collated and reviewed all of the available evidence relating to early diagnosis and early intervention.

Key questions include:

• Is it possible to promote earlier diagnosis of dementia, and how might this be achieved?
• What are the overall benefits or disadvantages of earlier diagnosis and intervention for
  people with dementia and their carers?
• What treatments or interventions are effective in the early stages of dementia?
• Is there evidence that some interventions are more effective when applied early in the
  disease course?
• Can earlier diagnosis and intervention reduce health and social care costs?

The insights provided here will be of interest to policymakers and planners and give additional stimulus to existing national programs while encouraging other countries to give much more attention to closing the treatment gap.