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Multimorbidity in dementia: Current perspectives and future challenges

  • Lucy E. Stirland*
  • , Radmila Choate
  • , Preeti Pushpalata Zanwar
  • , Panpan Zhang
  • , Tamlyn J. Watermeyer
  • , Martina Valletta
  • , Mario Torso
  • , Stefano Tamburin
  • , Usman Saeed
  • , Gerard R. Ridgway
  • , Shirine Moukaled
  • , Jay B. Lusk
  • , Samantha M. Loi
  • , Thomas J. Littlejohns
  • , Elżbieta Kuźma
  • , Sarah Naomi James
  • , Giulia Grande
  • , Isabelle F. Foote
  • , Katheryn A.Q. Cousins
  • , Joe Butler
  • Abrar AbuHamdia, Thiago J. Avelino-Silva, Vidyani Suryadevara
*Corresponding author for this work
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of California at San Francisco
  • University of Kentucky
  • Texas A&M University-Kingsville
  • Vanderbilt University
  • Northumbria University
  • Karolinska Institutet
  • Oxford Brain Diagnostics Ltd
  • University of Verona
  • University of Toronto
  • Tulane University
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Royal Melbourne Hospital
  • University of Oxford
  • University of Hamburg
  • University College London
  • University of Colorado Boulder
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • University of Sunderland
  • Universidade de São Paulo
  • Stanford University

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Multimorbidity-the co-occurrence of two or more chronic health conditions-affects > 86% of people with dementia. It is associated with cognitive and functional decline, reduced health-related quality of life, increased health-care use, and higher mortality. The relationship between multimorbidity and dementia is potentially bidirectional; conditions such as hypertension and diabetes increase the risk of developing dementia, and cognitive impairment can complicate their management. This complexity presents challenges in health care and research, affecting treatment decisions and often leading to the exclusion of these individuals from clinical trials. Understanding multimorbidity through long-term prospective studies is crucial to clarify its relationship with dementia. Investigating specific disease combinations, environmental and genetic factors, and their impacts on cognitive health will guide the development of effective prediction models and inclusive intervention strategies for diverse global populations across the life course.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere70546
Number of pages13
JournalAlzheimer's and Dementia
Volume21
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2025

Keywords

  • All-cause dementia
  • Comorbidity
  • Multimorbidity
  • Multiple long-term conditions

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