It's an exciting time in the field of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Significant progress has been made in the ability to diagnose dementia and detect Alzheimer's disease before symptoms develop. An early and accurate diagnosis offers a better understanding of how a person's illness will evolve.

Researchers have also discovered that dementia often has more than one cause, even though Alzheimer's disease is most common. This means that effective future treatment will be tailored to an individual.

Researchers are working diligently to develop therapies and, hopefully, prevent these diseases entirely. They understand the relationship between brain health and lifestyle behaviors, such as diet and exercise, much better than they have in the past. These are some of the reasons that there's hope in the world of dementia research.

As researchers work to develop new therapies, additional challenges must be addressed: reducing the stigma surrounding dementia and expanding care and support for those affected by dementia. These are urgent issues that require attention.

Get the latest information from Mayo Clinic researchers and medical experts on this disease when you order your copy of Mayo Clinic on Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias.