Worry and Anxiety in the Era of Early Diagnosis and Disease Modifying Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Psychologists and psychiatrists are well-positioned to be at the forefront of addressing the challenges posed by anxiety in early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia that are unfolding in primary care settings. The present article provides a summary of emerging areas in Alzheimer's disease testing and research to guide clinical decisions and research pursuits. RECENT FINDINGS: The present article provides an overview of how anxiety is understood in early diagnosis of dementia due to AD, its influence in AD-related mechanisms, and the implications of these findings on current research practices. We conducted focused literature reviews between January and June 2026 and synthesized the information to provide a narrative review. Overall, the clinical roles of anxiety in AD dementia are expanding- from being viewed primarily as reactions to cognitive decline to serving as informative features of the diagnostic process and clinical course of the disease.