AAN 2026 — Dementia

AAN 2026 — Dementia

Dates: April 18-22, 2026 Location: McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, USA Organizer: American Academy of Neurology Track: Cognitive Disorders/Dementia

Overview

The dementia track at AAN 2026 covers [Alzheimer's disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease) and all other causes of dementia, including vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and rare causes. This comprehensive track addresses the full spectrum of cognitive disorders, from diagnosis to management and research[@aan2026].

As populations age worldwide, the burden of dementia continues to grow, making this track particularly relevant for neurologists, geriatricians, psychiatrists, and primary care providers. AAN 2026 will highlight advances in biomarkers, therapeutics, and care models for all dementia types[@niaaa].

Key Topics

Differential Diagnosis

Alzheimer's Disease

• Typical and atypical presentations
• Biomarker confirmation
• Differential from other dementias

Vascular Dementia

• Subcortical vs. cortical vascular cognitive impairment
• Stroke-related cognitive decline
• Mixed dementia (AD + vascular)

Lewy Body Dementia

• Core and supportive features
• DLB vs. [Parkinson's disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease) dementia
• Fluctuating cognition and parkinsonism

Frontotemporal Dementia

• Behavioral variant FTD
• Language variants: Semantic, non-fluent
• FTLD spectrum disorders

...

AAN 2026 — Dementia

Dates: April 18-22, 2026 Location: McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, USA Organizer: American Academy of Neurology Track: Cognitive Disorders/Dementia

Overview

The dementia track at AAN 2026 covers [Alzheimer's disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease) and all other causes of dementia, including vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and rare causes. This comprehensive track addresses the full spectrum of cognitive disorders, from diagnosis to management and research[@aan2026].

As populations age worldwide, the burden of dementia continues to grow, making this track particularly relevant for neurologists, geriatricians, psychiatrists, and primary care providers. AAN 2026 will highlight advances in biomarkers, therapeutics, and care models for all dementia types[@niaaa].

Key Topics

Differential Diagnosis

Alzheimer's Disease

• Typical and atypical presentations
• Biomarker confirmation
• Differential from other dementias

Vascular Dementia

• Subcortical vs. cortical vascular cognitive impairment
• Stroke-related cognitive decline
• Mixed dementia (AD + vascular)

Lewy Body Dementia

• Core and supportive features
• DLB vs. [Parkinson's disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease) dementia
• Fluctuating cognition and parkinsonism

Frontotemporal Dementia

• Behavioral variant FTD
• Language variants: Semantic, non-fluent
• FTLD spectrum disorders

Other Dementias

• Normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• Traumatic brain injury-related dementia
• HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder

Management Approaches

Pharmacological Treatments

• [Cholinesterase inhibitors](/entities/cholinesterase-inhibitors) across dementia types
• Memantine and combination therapy
• Symptom-specific medications
• Emerging disease-modifying agents

Non-Pharmacological Interventions

• Cognitive stimulation therapy
• Reality orientation and validation therapy
• Environmental modifications
• Assistive technology

Caregiver Support

• Education and training programs
• Support groups and resources
• Caregiver burnout prevention
• Advance care planning

Palliative Care

• Advanced dementia management
• Symptom control
• End-of-life decision making
• Hospice considerations

Research Updates

Biomarker Development

• Fluid biomarkers for non-AD dementias
• Imaging markers of specific pathologies
• Genetic testing and counseling

Treatment Trials

• Disease-modifying therapies
• Symptomatic treatments
• Prevention studies

Disease Mechanisms

• Protein aggregation patterns
• Network dysfunction
• [Neuroinflammation](/mechanisms/neuroinflammation)

Special Populations

Early-Onset Dementia

• Diagnostic challenges in patients under 65
• Common genetic causes: APP, PSEN1, PSEN2, MAPT, GRN, C9orf72
• Work and family considerations
• Support services for younger patients

Rapidly Progressive Dementia

• Autoimmune encephalitis
• Paraneoplastic syndromes
• Infectious causes: CJD, HSV encephalitis, HIV
• Considerations for urgent evaluation

Dementia with Psychiatric Features

• Depression masquerading as dementia (pseudodementia)
• Psychosis in Alzheimer's and Lewy body dementia
• Behavioral variants of frontotemporal dementia
• Treatment resistance considerations

Emerging Topics at AAN 2026

Mixed Pathology in Dementia

Modern biomarker studies reveal that most dementia cases involve multiple pathologies:

• AD + vascular: Combined amyloid, tau, and cerebrovascular disease
• AD + LBD: Alzheimer co-pathology in most DLB and PDD cases
• AD + TDP-43: Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE)
• Triple pathology: AD + Lewy bodies + vascular changes

Understanding mixed pathology has major implications for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment selection.

Biomarkers for Non-AD Dementias

Major advances in fluid and imaging biomarkers for non-Alzheimer's dementias:

• Lewy body disease: Alpha-synuclein seed amplification assays (SAA), FP-CIT SPECT, MIBG imaging
• Frontotemporal dementia: Plasma progranulin for GRN mutations, fluid NfL for tracking
• Vascular dementia: White matter hyperintensity burden, perivascular spaces, perfusion imaging
• Prion disease: 14-3-3, total tau, RT-QuIC in CSF

Emerging Therapeutic Targets

• TDP-43: Targets for FTD with motor neuron disease
• Nucleic acid-targeting: Antisense oligonucleotides for MAPT, GRN mutations
• Vascular targets: Pericyte function, blood-brain barrier repair
• Metabolic approaches: GLP-1 agonists showing benefits across dementia types

Expected Sessions

Core Topics

• Update on dementia diagnostic criteria
• Biomarkers for differential diagnosis
• Management of behavioral symptoms
• Caregiver support and resources

Special Sessions

• Vascular cognitive impairment
• Lewy body disease: Update
• Frontotemporal dementia: New frontiers
• Young-onset dementia

Workshops

• Neuropsychological assessment
• Dementia care modeling
• Advance directive discussions

Related Conferences

• [AAIC 2026](/events/aaic-2026) — Alzheimer's Association International Conference
• [AAN 2026 Alzheimer's Disease](/events/aan-2026/alzheimers-disease)
• [AAN 2026](/events/aan-2026) — Main conference page

See Also

• [AAN 2026](/events/aan-2026) — Main conference page
• [AAIC 2026](/events/aaic-2026) — Alzheimer's focus
• [Dementia](/diseases/dementia)
• [Lewy Body Dementia](/diseases/lewy-body-dementia)
• [Frontotemporal Dementia](/diseases/frontotemporal-dementia)

External Links

• [AAN 2026 Annual Meeting](https://www.aan.com/meetings/annual-meeting)
• [AAN Cognitive Disorders Section](https://www.aan.com/communities/sections/cognitive)
• [Alzheimer's Association](https://www.alz.org)
• [Lewy Body Dementia Association](https://www.lbda.org)

References

[American Academy of Neurology, AAN 2026 Cognitive Disorders Track (2026)](https://www.aan.com/annualmeeting)

[McKeith IG, et al., Diagnosis and management of dementia with Lewy bodies. Neurology. 2017;89:88-100 (2017)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28592453)

[Rascovsky K, et al., Diagnostic criteria for behavioral variant FTD. Brain. 2011;134:2456-2477 (2011)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21810890)

[Gorno-Tempini ML, et al., Classification of primary progressive aphasias. Brain. 2011;134:2456-2477 (2011)](https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awq355)

Pathway Diagram