Alzheimer's disease in aging: Neurobiological and clinical aspects and contemporary challenges for early diagnosis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v15i5.51085Keywords:
Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, Neurology, Early Diagnosis, Mental Health.Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia worldwide, characterized as a progressive, multifactorial neurodegenerative disease of high public health relevance, especially in the context of population aging. This study aimed to analyze, in light of contemporary scientific evidence, the neurobiological, clinical, and psychosocial aspects of Alzheimer's Disease, with an emphasis on the challenges related to early diagnosis. This is a qualitative-quantitative investigation, with an integrative literature review design, based on studies published in international scientific databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, and BVS, from 2020 to 2025. The selection process followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, resulting in the inclusion of 37 studies, organized into thematic areas related to prevalence, early diagnosis, clinical manifestations, and neurobiological mechanisms of the disease. The results showed that Alzheimer's Disease presents early neuropsychiatric manifestations, such as apathy, anxiety, irritability, depression, and anosognosia, in addition to progressive impairment of multiple cognitive domains, including memory, language, executive functions, and visuospatial skills. Additionally, psychosocial factors, such as social isolation, chronic stress, depression, and anxiety, demonstrated a significant influence on the progression of the disease and the quality of life of affected individuals. It is concluded that Alzheimer's Disease represents a complex phenomenon that requires integrated and interdisciplinary approaches, involving early diagnosis strategies, clinical interventions, and psychosocial support, in order to promote quality of life and delay the progression of cognitive impairment.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Weber de Santana Teles, Max Cruz da Silva, Cauã Marx Nascimento de Carvalho, Lana Elise de Santana Santos, Rute dos Santos Souza, Joana Suely de Castro Santos, Sales de Oliveira Farias, Ádamo Newton Marinho Andrade, Raphael Davisson Lopes Santos, Fernanda Kelly Fraga Oliveira
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