Young-Onset Dementia: Epidemiology and Care Perspectives

Young‐onset dementia (YOD), defined by symptom onset before the age of 65 years, represents a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative and secondary conditions that pose distinctive challenges to patients, families and healthcare systems. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that incidence rises with age within the under‐65 population, with recent data indicating rates in the order of 10–15 cases per 100 000 person‐years and a prevalence exceeding 70 cases per 100 000 individuals in many regions. Alzheimer’s disease remains the most common aetiology, followed by frontotemporal and vascular syndromes, although genetic, metabolic and lifestyle-related causes also contribute. Delays in diagnosis are frequent owing to atypical presentations and misattribution of cognitive and psychiatric symptoms to stress or mood disorders. As a result, patients often face prolonged diagnostic trajectories and encounter services primarily designed for late‐onset dementia. Effective care therefore demands age-appropriate, multidisciplinary models that integrate neurology, psychiatry, social work and occupational therapy, alongside tailored support for families and working-age carers. A global perspective underscores the need for standardised screening protocols, earlier recognition of prodromal features and the development of specialised services to improve quality of life and reduce economic and psychosocial burdens.

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Young-Onset Dementia: Epidemiology and Care Perspectives publication trend

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Technical terms

Young‐Onset Dementia (YOD): Dementia with symptom onset before 65 years of age.

Incidence: The rate of new cases of a condition in a specified population over a defined time period.

Prevalence: The total number of existing cases of a condition in a population at a given point in time.

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD): A subtype of dementia characterised by degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes, often presenting with behavioural and language changes.

Multidisciplinary Care: Coordinated healthcare delivery involving professionals from multiple disciplines to address complex patient needs.

References

1. Mapping morbidity 10 years prior to a diagnosis of young onset Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia (2024).
2. Young‐onset dementia diagnosis, management and care: a narrative review. The Medical Journal of Australia (2023).
3. Epidemiology of early onset dementia and its clinical presentations in the province of Modena, Italy. Alzheimer's & Dementia (2020).
4. Epidemiology of early-onset dementia: a review of the literature. Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health (2013).
5. Early-onset dementias: diagnostic and etiological considerations. Alzheimer's Research & Therapy (2013).