Early Dementia Detection: Memory, Cortical Function, and Biomarkers in the Classification of High-Risk Pre-Dementia Individuals in the Healthy Aging People

Dementia is a neurodevelopmental syndrome characterized by the progressive destruction of nerve cells and brain damage, leading to cognitive decline and impaired daily functioning. The National Institute on Aging and the World Health Organization have emphasized the urgent need for early diagnosis and prevention strategies, as dementia remains a leading cause of disability and dependency among the elderly worldwide. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of identifying early biomarkers and implementing pre-dementia treatments to delay the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other forms of dementia, such as vascular dementia. Despite these efforts, there remains a critical gap in distinguishing neurocognitive impairments that surpass the effects of normal aging, particularly in high-risk populations aged 45 to 60 who exhibit subtle cognitive decline without overt dementia symptoms. This research topic aims to address these gaps by focusing on early prodromal-dementia predictors, including abnormal brain activity and working memory deficits, which are linked to compromised neuroplasticity and excitability in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and para-limbic circuitry.

This research topic aims to identify and validate early brain biomarkers and memory function indicators in healthy aging individuals at the pre-dementia stage. By pinpointing these early predictors, the research seeks to establish their association with the initiation of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease, as opposed to other dementia types or standard cognitive aging. The goal is to provide empirical evidence that can inform the development of novel early treatment interventions designed to preserve working memory function and delay the progression to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia symptoms. Specific questions to be addressed include the identification of dementia-specific biomarkers and the examination of brain-based biomarkers such as "Alpha-suppression" EEG activity.

To gather further insights into the early detection of dementia, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Dementia-specific biomarkers in skin cells, blood serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and neuroimaging or neuro-connectivity (PET, fMRI, EEG) as feasible early predictors of later onset of dementia.
• Examination of "Alpha-suppression" EEG activity as a primary early detection brain-based biomarker.
• Analysis of coherent prefrontal "local" and "global" connectivity, particularly in aging individuals over the age of 50.
• Event-related brain activity related to sensory processing and executive attention function (event-related potentials - ERPs) in aging individuals versus those at risk for developing dementia and those with dementia.
• Performance-related brain biomarkers of early accelerated non-salient cognitive decline that could serve as clinical outcome measures for early treatment interventions.