What are the latest advances in dementia diagnosis?

Techniques to diagnose dementia have advanced rapidly in recent decades.

Yet despite this, too many people worldwide living with dementia do not receive a timely diagnosis, which prevents them from accessing the support and services they deserve. 

We spoke to Dementia Australia Honorary Medical Advisor Professor Michael Woodward about how the tools to diagnose dementia have improved, as well as the new advancements he hopes will allow more people to receive a timely diagnosis.

Why is dementia such a challenging condition to diagnose?

"There are three main barriers to diagnosis.

Firstly there’s still resistance from physicians, as well as patients, to pursue a diagnosis because there is still significant stigma associated with dementia. 

Secondly, many people still hold the incorrect view that dementia is a normal part of ageing and that what they are experiencing is normal.

The third challenge is the difficulty in making an accurate diagnosis in the early stages of dementia.

This is key because the earlier you receive a diagnosis, the more opportunity you have to access potential treatments as well as support and services."