Screening and Staging Tools for Dementia
Abstract
Dementia represents a significant global health challenge with increasing prevalence as populations age worldwide. This article reviews the evolution of dementia screening and staging approaches, tracing their development from the historical concept of "senile dementia" to the current biomarker-based diagnostic paradigm. We examine traditional staging systems including the Global Deterioration Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment, alongside specialized clinical trial assessment tools such as the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale and Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes. The emergence of blood-based biomarkers—including plasma p-tau181, p-tau217, Aβ42/40 ratio, neurofilament light chain, and glial fibrillary acidic protein—represents a transformative shift in dementia diagnostics, offering minimally invasive, cost-effective methods that achieve diagnostic accuracy comparable to more expensive neuroimaging techniques. This transition from symptom-based syndrome classification to biologically defined disease processes enables earlier intervention, personalized treatment strategies, and improved clinical outcomes. As disease-modifying therapies emerge, the integration of these advanced diagnostic tools into clinical practice will be essential for optimizing patient care in long-term care settings.
Citation: Ann Longterm Care. 2026. Published online January 9, 2026.
DOI:10.25270/altc.2026.01.001
