Revista Tópicos · Jun 12, 2026

DEMENTIAS AND AGING: EARLY DIAGNOSIS STRATEGIES IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR OLDER ADULTS

By Pagliari P, de Barros AMS, Borges EDS et al.

Early diagnosis of dementias is a fundamental strategy for promoting the mental health of older adults, enabling timely interventions capable of delaying the progression of cognitive and functional impairment. In this context, this study aimed to discuss the main strategies for early diagnosis of dementias in mental health care for older adults, with an emphasis on the use of validated cognitive and functional instruments. This was a qualitative and descriptive literature-based study conducted through the analysis of scientific articles, clinical guidelines, and institutional documents published between 2014 and 2025, consulted in the SciELO, Virtual Health Library, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases. The results showed that the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Mini-Cog, the Clock Drawing Test, and the Pfeffer Functional Activities Questionnaire are relevant for the initial screening of neurocognitive changes in older adults, contributing to the early identification of individuals at risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementias. However, none of these instruments was found to have sufficient diagnostic capacity when used alone, and their use in conjunction with clinical, functional, and neuropsychological assessment is recommended. It is concluded that combining validated instruments increases diagnostic accuracy and supports the planning of earlier and more effective therapeutic and care interventions, contributing to improved quality of life for the older population.

doi.org/10.70773/revistatopicos/781154488 Open access Biomarkers