Dementia

Dementia is acquired dementia. It is often accompanied by psychotic symptoms:

• delusional ideas (more often simple, unsystematicized, limited by everyday issues, unlike schizophrenia, where delusional ideas are built into a whole system),

• hallucinations ( also simple - someone stands in the corner or outside the window, a cat runs on the floor, someone sneaks).

Spread of the disease

Globally, about 50 million people are affected by dementia as of 2021, and about 10 million new cases are recorded each year. 60-70% of all dementia cases are Alzheimer's disease.

At this time, about 8 million people in Russia suffer from mild cognitive impairment, people with dementia - about 2 million people. Psychiatrist Marat Kurmyshev, deputy chief physician of the Alekseev First Clinical Psychiatric Hospital, spoke about this in the summer of 2021. Dementia is the strongest manifestation of cognitive impairment.

Risk factors

According to the data for 2021, the main risk factors for the onset of the disease according to the doctor include: age, genetics and family history, excessive alcohol consumption, high cholesterol, plasma homocysteine, diabetes mellitus, mild cognitive impairment.

About 40% of people over 65 who were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment developed dementia within three years. In addition, smokers have a greater risk of developing atherosclerosis and other types of vascular disease, which can be the root causes of dementia.

Types of dementias

• Vascular dementia (if blood pressure often rises, strokes),
• senile dementia,
• Alzheimer's disease,
• Pick's disease.

Chronicle

2025

Why dementia is diagnosed 3.5 years late

Scientists at University College London have found that the diagnosis of dementia is made on average 3.5 years after the first symptoms of the disease, which poses serious problems for patients around the world. The study represents the first systematic review and meta-analysis of global data on the timing of dementia diagnosis. This became known at the end of July 2025.

According to hi-tech.mail, experts analyzed 13 scientific papers conducted in various regions of the world - Europe, the USA, Australia and China. The total number of examined participants exceeded 30 thousand people.

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Фото: Freepik

The study authors focused on examining the average period between the first symptoms seen by patients or their loved ones and the point of confirmation of diagnosis by medical professionals. The main conclusion suggests that timely diagnosis of dementia remains a big global problem.

Patients with early manifestations of the disease wait even longer for their diagnosis - about four-plus years. Such delays can significantly worsen the quality of life of patients and their families, depriving them of the opportunity to receive the necessary assistance and support in a timely manner.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Vasiliki Orgeta, emphasized that a significant proportion of diseases remain undiagnosed at all. In developed countries, only half of all cases of dementia are recorded, and in less prosperous regions, the statistics are even worse.

The main reasons for the slow detection of dementia are complex and diverse. Symptoms of the disease are often mistaken for normal aging, while fear, stigma and low public awareness can discourage people from seeking medical attention.

Among the factors that slow down diagnosis, there are difficulties in recognizing the initial symptoms of dementia and insufficient medical literacy of the population. Psychological barriers play an important role - fear and shame before seeking help from specialists.^[1]

2024

Growth in the volume of the Russian market for drugs for dementia by 18.4% to 7.85 billion rubles

The Russian retail market for drugs for the treatment of dementia increased by 18.4% to ₽7,85 billion in 2024 against ₽6,63 billion in 2023, demonstrating a double-digit growth rate for the third year in a row amid an aging population and increased diagnosis of cognitive impairment. Natural consumption amounted to more than 4.5 million packages with an increase of 13.6% compared to the previous year, when less than 4 million packages of medicines of this category were sold. This became known in September 2025.

According to RNC Pharma, positive dynamics remains in 2025 - in the first seven months drugs worth over ₽5 billion were sold, which is 16.2% more than in the same period in 2024. Natural consumption reached more than 2.9 million packages with an increase of 14.4%, which indicates a stable increase in demand for this group of medicines.

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Фото: Freepik

Regional market distribution is showing uneven dynamics across federal districts. The maximum increase in value volume was noted in the Volga and North Caucasus federal districts with indicators of 17.8% and 17.1%, respectively, in January-July 2025 compared to the same period of the previous year.

The Central Federal District traditionally provides the largest cash sales volume, forming more than 32.5% of the market in value terms and almost 31% of the natural volume. Growth dynamics in the Central Federal District amounted to 11% in both ruble and physical terms compared to January-July 2024.

The ranking of the ten best-selling dementia drugs by cash sales in January-July 2025 includes:

• Acatinol Memantine (Merz Pharma) - 27.1%, an increase of 16%;
• "Memantine" unbranded ("Vertex" and 10 other companies) - 20.3%, growth 27%;
• Neuromidine (Olainpharm) - 17.9%, unchanged;
• Aksamon (PIK-Pharma) - 15.8%, an increase of 14%;
• Ipidacrine (North Star and 3 other companies) - 6.7%, 93% growth;
• Memantine Canon (CanonPharma) - 3.6%, growth 13%;
• Exelon (Novartis) - 2.7%, an increase of 21%;
• Maruksa (KRKA) - 1.9%, an increase of 12%;
• Ipigrix (Grindex) - 1.4%, a decrease of 21%;
• Memantal (Sotex) - 1.2%, a decrease of 6%.^[2]

How to prevent the development of dementia. 12 main risks

At the end of July 2024, specialists from University College London named the main risks of dementia. These include smoking, alcohol abuse and low physical activity. Experts also shared recommendations for reducing the likelihood of cognitive impairment.

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Фото: Freepik

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at the beginning of 2023, there were more than 55 million people with dementia in the world, of which over 60% live in low or middle-income countries. Almost 10 million new cases of the disease are registered every year. Dementia affects people differently depending on its underlying causes, the presence of other diseases and the state of a person's cognitive function before the onset of the disease. In total, the 12 main risks of the development of the disease are called:

· Low level of education;

· Head injuries;

· Low physical activity;

· Smoking;

· Excess alcohol consumption;

· High blood pressure (hypertension);

· Overweight or obesity;

· Increased blood sugar (diabetes);

· Hearing loss;

· Depression;

· Social isolation;

· Air pollution.

Researchers at University College London also say dementia can be promoted by high blood cholesterol and worse vision. In addition, scientists came to the conclusion that the longer one or another of the listed factors acts on a person, the higher the risk of dementia.

To reduce the likelihood of developing the disease, it is recommended to exercise regularly, eat healthy food, stop cigarettes and reduce alcohol consumption, communicate more, pay attention to mental health, exercise to improve mental abilities and take care of improving sleep quality.^[3]

WHO counts 55 million people with dementia around the world

In 2023, globally, there were more than 55 million people with dementia. Of these, over 60% live in low or middle-income countries. Such data in early May 2024 are given in the report of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Dementia is a syndrome that can be caused by a range of diseases that gradually destroy nerve cells and damage the brain, which usually leads to cognitive decline to a greater extent than would be expected as a result of conventional biological aging processes. WHO notes that the disease has physical, psychological, social and economic consequences not only for the sick themselves, but also for those who care for them, their family members and society as a whole. The most common form of dementia is estimated to be Alzheimer's, with a proportion of 60-70%. Other forms are vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, etc.

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Фото: Unsplash

According to the WHO, by 2050 the world population aged 65 and over will double and reach 2.1 billion people. At the same time, it is expected that by 2030 the number of people with dementia on a global scale will grow to 78 million, and by 2050 - to 139 million.

Currently, [as of 2023], dementia ranks seventh among the leading causes of death in the world and is among the main causes of disability of older people and their dependence on outside assistance, the organization said in a report.

The problem of dementia affects women substantially more - directly or indirectly -. In 2019, dementia, according to reports, cost the global economy $1.3 trillion. By 2030, this amount is predicted to increase to $1.7 trillion, and, adjusted for the increase in aid spending, will increase to $2.8 trillion.^[4]

A patch for the treatment of dementia has been released in Russia

In March 2024, Endopharm registered Rivastigmine-ET in the form of a transdermal patch. It is intended to treat dementia. Read more here.

2022

Presented a wearable ECG device for controlling depression and dementia

In late October 2022, researchers at Osaka University in Japan developed a wearable electroencephalography device that can measure brain activity, potentially allowing doctors to track conditions such as depression or dementia. Read more here.

Vitamin D deficiency directly raises dementia and stroke risks

In mid-June 2022, scientists from the University of South Australia reported a causal relationship between vitamin D and neurodegeneration and found out how many cases of dementia could be prevented with a dietary supplement. The data also show optimal vitamin D levels for the prevention of incurable disease. Read more here.

2021

Viagra reduces dementia risks by 69%

In early December 2021, a Cleveland Clinic-led study named sildenafil (a drug to increase potency; the most popular brand using it is Viagra) a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Read more here.

Running an online dementia risk calculator

In mid-July 2021, researchers from the University of Ottawa, the Bruyère Research Institute and ICES developed an online calculator to allow people over the age of 55 to assess the risk of developing dementia over the next five years and learn how they can reduce it. Read more here.

New MRI method reveals vascular problems that often cause dementia

At the end of May 2021, researchers at the University of Kentucky (UK) and the University of Southern California ( USA ) showed a new non-invasive MRI neuroimaging method, which allows early detection of blood-brain barrier dysfunction (BBB) associated with cerebral microangiopathy. This disease is the most common cause of vascular cognitive impairment, which results in a large proportion of cases developing dementia. BBB dysfunction represents a promising early marker of cerebral microangiopathy, as it is BBB that regulates a number of important metabolic functions, including the elimination of toxic substances from the brain. Read more here.

2020: COVID-19 pandemic increases deaths from Alzheimer's disease and other dementias by 42,000

In 2020, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 42 thousand more people died from Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in the world than the average for 5 years to 2020. This is about 16% more than the expected mortality among people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. This was reported by Helen Mkhitaryan, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Neurologist of the Russian Gerontological Scientific and Clinical Center during a lecture for the medical community "Dementia. From risk factors to adequate therapy. "

"It is expected that by 2050 the number of people with Alzheimer's will double to about 14.3 million people. Already, European Union USA this disease ranks 6th in mortality. To the provoking factors of the development of dementia added, "said coronavirus Elen Mkhitaryan.

Notes