Early detection for dementia, an oxymoron? Examining the evidence from population studies

We’re delighted to invite you to an in‑person OSAL event with Professor Carol Brayne, one of the leading public health voices in dementia and ageing.

Early detection for dementia is often treated as an obvious good: find it earlier, fix it earlier. In this talk, Professor Brayne will challenge that simple narrative, drawing on decades of population‑based research to ask when dementia really becomes detectable, what “early” labels actually tell us about the future, and how screening can both help and harm.

She will explore:

• How dementia trends have changed over time in real‑world populations
• Why mild memory problems and “preclinical” labels do not always progress to dementia
• The gap between tests/biomarkers and people’s lived cognitive function
• The ethical and practical dilemmas of telling people they are “at risk” years before symptoms may—or may not—develop