September is World Alzheimer’s Month, and this year’s theme – “The Earlier You Know, The More You Can Do: A Dementia Diagnosis Matters” – captures the essence of what I have been saying for many years.
A huge misconception is that “dementia” is a diagnosis! It is not – “dementia” just refers to a more advanced stage of impairment of our “thinking ability” where we are no longer completely independent. As we grow older, the most common cause for “dementia”, by far, is Alzheimer’s disease. It is critical to know what condition is causing the onset and then progression of your, or a loved one’s cognitive symptoms, as soon as possible and ideally long before these symptoms have progressed to the point where they have caused the state of dementia; that is a loss of independence. As with cancer, the time to intervene is when symptoms are very mild, not when the disease has progressed to a more advanced stage. But to intervene early and effectively, you have to know what is causing the cognitive symptoms.
I founded Re:Cognition Health because I was frustrated by the way Alzheimer’s had traditionally been approached. Too often, people with memory concerns were told to come back when their symptoms became more obvious or their condition had progressed. By then, valuable time will have been lost and only symptoms were being addressed.
We have now entered a fundamentally different era in Alzheimer’s disease, one in which earlier diagnosis can open the door to earlier intervention, new disease-modifying treatments, clinical trials and a much clearer understanding of an individual’s disease and future options.
The earlier we identify what is happening in the brain, the sooner we can begin to understand it – and, where appropriate, take action.
My message this World Alzheimer’s Month is simple: if you have concerns about your memory, don’t wait for them to become worse before seeking answers. Early assessment can give you the information you need to understand your options and decide what to do next.
The earlier you know, the more you can do.
Alzheimer’s starts long before memory fades
One of the most important things I want people to understand is that Alzheimer’s disease does not suddenly begin when memory problems become noticeable. The disease can be developing silently in the brain for 15–20 years before the first symptoms appear. During this time, amyloid builds up in the brain and can cause a cascade of changes that gradually damage and destroy precious brain cells. By the time memory loss becomes obvious to the person or their family, the underlying disease has already been present for many years.
This is why timing matters. The new generation of Alzheimer’s treatments have been developed to intervene earlier in the disease, when there is still more opportunity to slow its progression.
A new generation of Alzheimer’s treatments
For the first time, we have treatments that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease itself, rather than simply managing its symptoms.
Leqembi® (lecanemab) and Kisunla® (donanemab) are anti-amyloid treatments for people with early Alzheimer’s disease who meet particular eligibility criteria. They operate by targeting and removing amyloid plaques from the brain – one of the key pathological features of Alzheimer’s – to slow the progression of the disease.
These treatments are not cures, they cannot reverse damage that has already occurred, and they are not suitable for everyone. But their development demonstrates a remarkable shift in what is possible for people living with Alzheimer’s.
The crucial point is that these treatments cannot bring back brain cells that have already been lost. The earlier Alzheimer’s is identified, the greater the opportunity to intervene while there is still more brain function to preserve.
At Re:Cognition Health, we have been at the leading edge of this change. Our teams were involved in the clinical development of both lecanemab and donanemab, and our centres in the UK and USA have treated more patients with these therapies than any other clinic. This has given us exceptional depth of experience – not only in administering these treatments, but in comprehending how to select, monitor, and support patients throughout treatment.
And this is precisely why timing matters. These treatments have been studied in people with early Alzheimer’s disease. If diagnosis is delayed until the disease is more advanced, the individual may no longer be eligible for treatment as they have passed the stage where treatment is effective. Exactly the same as for treating cancer.
An early diagnosis therefore gives us something that was not available to previous generations: the opportunity to identify Alzheimer’s earlier, assess whether a person is eligible for treatment, and potentially slow the disease before more damage occurs.
Find out more about the new treatments to slow Alzheimer’s
Diagnosis is about much more than a label
I understand why people may be frightened of seeking an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Some would rather not know. Others assume that if there is no cure and there is little point in finding out.
But this is an argument we made about cancer 100 years ago. Today, if we found a lump, we wouldn’t simply ignore it because we were frightened of what it might mean. We would want to know what it was, understand our options and, where possible, get it treated immediately. We need to start thinking about Alzheimer’s in the same way.
And as with cancer, we have to get an accurate diagnosis, not just “well it looks like a lump and let’s see if it grows or not!”
No that’s not good enough; we get a biopsy or a scan to find out exactly what it is.
It is the same with cognitive impairment – we need to get a specific biomarker test. This will tell us, what is causing our symptoms, as soon as possible and at a time when it is not possible to guess at a diagnosis by just doing cognitive tests or an MRI or CT scan of the brain. And this is also the very time when if you get a confirmed biomarker diagnosis you can get one of the new treatments on the market or enrol in a clinic trial to get early access to other new treatments, which will hopefully come on the market in the future, just as Kisunla and Leqembi have today.
The other huge misconception is that its “normal to lose your memory and “thinking ability” as you get older. This is not true, and unfortunately lulls lots of people into a false sense of security and inaction at the very time they should be seeking an accurate biomarker diagnosis and potential access to a new treatment to slow progression of their early Alzheimer’s disease and symptoms.
A diagnosis does not take away your choices. It gives you choices.
Without knowing what is causing changes in memory or thinking, you are left guessing – and potentially missing a window for effective intervention. A proper assessment can tell us whether those changes are due to Alzheimer’s, another form of dementia, or something entirely different. And importantly, some causes of cognitive decline are easily treatable. It is not necessarily due to Alzheimer’s disease.
So, when Alzheimer’s is suspected, we can go much further, now, than simply assessing memory. These advanced biomarker testing can help determine whether the biological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s are actually present. This is particularly important now that disease-modifying treatments are available, because we need to know not just how someone is presenting, but what is happening inside their brain.
For me, that is what modern Alzheimer’s diagnosis should be about. Not simply putting a label on someone, but understanding what is happening in the brain, finding answers and, crucially, using that knowledge to take fast action.
Earlier diagnosis can also mean access to clinical trials
Another important reason to seek an early diagnosis is research.
Some of the most exciting developments in Alzheimer’s are happening in clinical trials right now. Researchers are investigating new drugs, different biological targets, and ways to intervene even earlier in the disease process.
At Re:Cognition Health, clinical research has always been central to what we do. We have participated in major international Alzheimer’s trials and continue to work with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies developing the next generation of treatments.
For eligible patients, a diagnosis can therefore open an opening to something that may otherwise remain inaccessible: the opportunity to participate in research into tomorrow’s treatments.
Every treatment we have today exists because previous patients volunteered to take part in clinical research.
Find out more about our clinical trials at Re:Cognition Health
So how do you actually get an Alzheimer’s diagnosis?
The first step is remarkably simple: book an assessment at Re:Cognition Health.
If you, your partner, a parent or someone close to you has experienced persistent changes in memory, thinking, language or behaviour, don’t simply put it down to getting older. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s Alzheimer’s. There are many possible causes of cognitive changes, and some are treatable.
At Re Health, we take an all-encompassing approach. We assess cognitive function, medical history and symptoms and, where appropriate, use advanced brain imaging and biomarker testing to identify the underlying cause.
For those who want a proactive assessment of their cognitive health, CognitionCheck brings together cognitive testing, a p-Tau217 blood test, brain MRI and specialist clinical review in a single assessment. Designed for adults aged 50+, it provides a clear picture of cognitive function, brain structure and relevant biomarkers, helping identify changes that may warrant further investigation.
The aim is not simply to give someone a diagnosis, but to understand what it means and what should happen next. That might mean treatment, lifestyle and risk-factor management, monitoring, participation in research or, importantly, reassurance that nothing serious has been found.
BOOK YOUR COGNITIONCHECK TODAY
It’s time to act
Losing your memory is not simply something you should accept as a normal part of getting older. We now have the tools to find out what is causing cognitive changes, treatments that can slow Alzheimer’s disease and clinical trials developing what comes next.
But first, you need to know what is happening. Don’t ignore the signs. Get assessed, find out what is causing the changes and then we can work out what to do next.
Don’t accept memory loss as as normal ageing. Don’t wait. Find out now.
