The survey identified that many people first talk to their doctor because they notice changes, such as forgetting recent events or conversations, or struggling to find the right words or remembering names and having trouble concentrating or staying focused.
However, it’s not only about remembering things or expressing themselves clearly – handling everyday tasks such as managing money, paying bills, taking medications on time and completing routine or familiar activities are also common reasons why patients consult their doctors.

These symptoms may seem subtle at first, but they can have a big impact on daily life and be associated with anxiety and depression. Recognising them early and acting quickly can make a real difference to a patient’s life.

There are persistent gaps in AD awareness, particularly in reconising early symptoms and seeking timely help

Typically, the individual’s partner or spouse was identified as the most common person to first notice symptoms and prompt the initial consultation with a physician; just one in five patients were the first to notice their cognitive symptoms and prompt initial consultation. This highlights the importance of involving family and/or support in the diagnostic process and navigating throughout the journey.

There are persistent gaps in AD awareness, particularly in recognising early symptoms and seeking timely help. These findings underscore the urgent need to raise public awareness and reduce stigma, so individuals feel empowered to pursue diagnosis and support earlier. There is a role for public health in educating on the early indicators of cognitive impairment – emphasising when symptoms are not just normal ageing and highlighting the importance of seeking timely medical advice.

The most common diagnostic pathway for AD is also the longest – it was found that the time until a diagnosis can double if patients require a referral from a general practitioner to a specialist.

Timely diagnosis is crucial to ensure optimal treatment to slow disease progression as soon as possible. Innovations in blood-based biomarkers will change the management of AD, allowing for earlier and more accurate diagnoses. However, this study found limited use of AD biomarkers in everyday practice across all countries (23% of all included patients with AD diagnosis), despite the fact that the majority of specialists (almost three quarters – 72%) considered AD biomarkers important to assist in diagnosis among patients with MCI – even though less than two out of ten patients had AD biomarker testing.

With most people diagnosed as having mild AD severity, there are indications of opportunities for earlier diagnosis.

When asked about barriers to using AD biomarkers, specialists reported this to be based on costs (both the expense to the healthcare system or expense when tests were not covered by public/private insurance) and testing not being routinely available or the invasiveness/suitability for patients – and this highlights that there is the potential for blood-based biomarkers that can be cost-effective, non-invasive and more broadly accessible for use in diagnosis.

Emerging anti-amyloid therapies are opening up new possibilities and offering the potential to slow disease progression. As these tools become more accessible, they are set to fundamentally reshape how we detect, treat and manage AD, moving us towards a more proactive and personalised approach to care.

As the efficacy and safety of these treatments improves when initiated at an earlier stage of AD, a timely and accurate diagnosis of AD is crucial.

Due to the progressive nature of AD, there are still gaps in our understanding of the different stages of disease and how we appropriately capture decline across the multiple domains – not just cognitive, but day-to-day functioning, behaviour and quality of life.

Having a harmonised approach to capturing the most relevant measures over the span of the disease will be important for clinical practice and for patients and their families in their understanding of the long-term effectiveness of innovations and driving further improvements.

Leveraging real-world data enables us to better understand how treatments perform outside clinical trials, identify gaps in care and tailor interventions to patient needs. RWE not only helps us understand the patient journey but also informs actionable decisions to improve patient care, optimise resource allocation and enhance patient outcomes.

Lilly has been committed to AD research for over 30 years now. We’re seeing real scientific momentum in AD, particularly through advances in biomarkers and new disease-modifying therapies.

Thanks to these scientific discoveries and a better understanding of how people live with AD, there’s a real opportunity to improve care. By combining breakthroughs in science, real-world insights and growing awareness, patients, caregivers, doctors and researchers can work together to create better care plans.

Instead of waiting for symptoms to get worse, people can seek help earlier. This marks a turning point, a chance to make a real difference for those living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Reference
1. Vasileva-Metodiev SZ, Spargo D, Klein EG, et al. Diagnostic journey and management of patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease dementia: A multinational, real-world survey. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 2025;104(4):1212-1234. doi:10.1177/13872877251322978