RESUMO
Age is the main risk factor for dementia, and early stages of cognitive decline may be challenging to identify. In this review, potential benefits of early diagnostic assessment are discussed. These include the identification and timely treatment of potentially reversible causes for cognitive impairment, avoidance of potential deficits in treatment of medical comorbidities, the opportunity to plan better for future needs and, finally, the therapeutic potential of non-pharmacological interventions. Furthermore, the promise of prospective disease-modifying medications, which are currently still being tested in clinical trials, will be addressed. While regimens combining dietary changes and cognitive training, as well as physical exercise, have been shown to provide benefit at low risk for adverse effects, improved medical care for other age-related disorders such as arterial hypertension, cardiac disease or diabetes may also have significant impact on reducing dementia prevalence.