Prevalence estimates for latent neurodegenerative disease

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Gerontology
• Pathology

Background:

• Dementia is a significant public health concern, often caused by Alzheimer's disease, microvascular brain injury, and Lewy body disease.
• These neurodegenerative conditions progress through distinct stages: latent, prodromal, and dementia.
• Understanding the prevalence of the earliest disease phase is crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the prevalence of the latent stage of major dementia-causing diseases.
• To assess the utility of neuropathologic assessments and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in identifying this early stage.
• To underscore the public health impact of preclinical neurodegenerative diseases.

Main Methods:

• Utilized validated neuropathologic assessments.
• Employed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for disease detection.
• Analyzed data to estimate the prevalence of the latent stage in the adult population.

Main Results:

• The latent stage of diseases contributing to dementia is highly prevalent in adults.
• Neuropathologic assessments and CSF biomarkers can identify individuals in the earliest disease phase.
• These findings suggest a significant burden of preclinical neurodegenerative disease.

Conclusions:

• A substantial portion of the adult population harbors the latent stage of common dementia-causing diseases.
• Early detection through biomarkers and neuropathology is feasible.
• There is an urgent need for developing and implementing prevention strategies and conducting longitudinal studies to mitigate dementia risk.