Multimorbidity in dementia: Current perspectives and future challenges

Lucy E Stirland; Radmila Choate; Preeti Pushpalata Zanwar; Panpan Zhang; Tamlyn 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 AQ Cousins; Joe Butler; Abrar AbuHamdia; Thiago J Avelino-Silva; Vidyani Suryadevara

doi:10.1002/alz.70546

Multimorbidity in dementia: Current perspectives and future challenges

Lucy E Stirland^*, Radmila Choate, Preeti Pushpalata Zanwar, Panpan Zhang, Tamlyn 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 AQ Cousins, Joe ButlerAbrar AbuHamdia, Thiago J Avelino-Silva, Vidyani Suryadevara

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Multimorbidity—the co-occurrence of two or more chronic health conditions—affects more than 86% of people with dementia. It is associated with cognitive and functional decline, reduced health-related quality of life, increased healthcare utilization, 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 healthcare 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 language	English
Article number	e70546
Number of pages	13
Journal	Alzheimer's & Dementia: the journal of the Alzheimer's Association
Volume	21
Issue number	8
Early online date	4 Aug 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70546
Publication status	Published - 4 Aug 2025

Keywords

all-cause dementia
comorbidity
multimorbidity
multiple long-term conditions

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Cite this

Stirland, L. E., Choate, R., Zanwar, P. P., Zhang, P., Watermeyer, T., Valletta, M., Torso, M., Tamburin, S., Saeed, U., Ridgway, G. R., Moukaled, S., Lusk, J. B., Loi, S. M., Littlejohns, T. J., Kuźma, E., James, S.-N., Grande, G., Foote, I. F., Cousins, K. AQ., ... Suryadevara, V. (2025). Multimorbidity in dementia: Current perspectives and future challenges. Alzheimer's & Dementia: the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 21(8), Article e70546. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70546

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abstract = "Multimorbidity—the co-occurrence of two or more chronic health conditions—affects more than 86\% of people with dementia. It is associated with cognitive and functional decline, reduced health-related quality of life, increased healthcare utilization, 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 healthcare 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.",

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Stirland, LE, Choate, R, Zanwar, PP, Zhang, P, Watermeyer, T, Valletta, M, Torso, M, Tamburin, S, Saeed, U, Ridgway, GR, Moukaled, S, Lusk, JB, Loi, SM, Littlejohns, TJ, Kuźma, E, James, S-N, Grande, G, Foote, IF, Cousins, KAQ, Butler, J, AbuHamdia, A, Avelino-Silva, TJ & Suryadevara, V 2025, 'Multimorbidity in dementia: Current perspectives and future challenges', Alzheimer's & Dementia: the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, vol. 21, no. 8, e70546. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70546

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AU - Stirland, Lucy E

AU - Choate, Radmila

AU - Zanwar, Preeti Pushpalata

AU - Zhang, Panpan

AU - Watermeyer, Tamlyn

AU - Valletta, Martina

AU - Torso, Mario

AU - Tamburin, Stefano

AU - Saeed, Usman

AU - Ridgway, Gerard R

AU - Moukaled, Shirine

AU - Lusk, Jay B

AU - Loi, Samantha M

AU - Littlejohns, Thomas J

AU - Kuźma, Elżbieta

AU - James, Sarah-Naomi

AU - Grande, Giulia

AU - Foote, Isabelle F

AU - Cousins, Katheryn AQ

AU - Butler, Joe

AU - AbuHamdia, Abrar

AU - Avelino-Silva, Thiago J

AU - Suryadevara, Vidyani

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AB - Multimorbidity—the co-occurrence of two or more chronic health conditions—affects more than 86% of people with dementia. It is associated with cognitive and functional decline, reduced health-related quality of life, increased healthcare utilization, 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 healthcare 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.

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KW - comorbidity

KW - multimorbidity

KW - multiple long-term conditions

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DO - 10.1002/alz.70546

M3 - Article

SN - 1552-5260

VL - 21

JO - Alzheimer's & Dementia: the journal of the Alzheimer's Association

JF - Alzheimer's & Dementia: the journal of the Alzheimer's Association

IS - 8

M1 - e70546

ER -

Multimorbidity in dementia: Current perspectives and future challenges

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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