Harvard Dementia: A Comprehensive Update 2026

Comprehensive Advances in Dementia Diagnosis, Biomarkers, Treatment, and Patient Care

Harvard Dementia: A Comprehensive Update 2026 is one of the most respected educational programs dedicated to the diagnosis, management, prevention, and emerging treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. Organized by leading cognitive neurologists and dementia specialists from Harvard Medical School and affiliated institutions, this intensive multidisciplinary course provides clinicians with the latest evidence-based approaches to cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal degeneration, Parkinsonian dementias, and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Designed for healthcare professionals involved in dementia care, this comprehensive review combines advances in clinical practice, neuroimaging, biomarkers, neuropsychology, disease-modifying therapies, caregiver support, neuroethics, and end-of-life care. Participants gain practical strategies to improve diagnostic accuracy, optimize treatment decisions, and enhance quality of life for patients and families affected by cognitive disorders.

Course Overview

The global burden of dementia continues to rise as populations age, creating an urgent need for clinicians to remain current with rapidly evolving diagnostic technologies, biomarkers, treatment options, and care models.

Now in its 29th year, Dementia: A Comprehensive Update 2026 provides a thorough review of the full spectrum of cognitive disorders, from preclinical Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment to advanced dementia. The course integrates foundational neuroscience, clinical diagnosis, biomarker interpretation, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies, caregiver support strategies, and emerging disease-modifying treatments.

A major focus of the 2026 program is the expanding role of biomarkers and newly approved disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s disease, helping clinicians understand how these advances are reshaping dementia care.

Course Date: May 27–30, 2026

Comprehensive Curriculum

Alzheimer’s Disease

Participants explore:

• Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology
• Amyloid and tau biology
• Clinical presentations
• Typical and atypical Alzheimer’s syndromes
• Disease progression
• Risk factors
• Prevention strategies
• Early detection approaches
• Disease-modifying therapies

Faculty discuss the latest developments in Alzheimer’s diagnosis and treatment.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Coverage includes:

• Diagnostic criteria
• Clinical evaluation
• Risk stratification
• Progression prediction
• Monitoring strategies
• Biomarker integration
• Management approaches

Participants learn evidence-based approaches to identifying and managing MCI.

Dementia Biomarkers

Extensive instruction covers:

• Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers
• Amyloid PET imaging
• Tau PET imaging
• MRI applications
• FDG-PET
• Blood-based biomarkers
• Biomarker interpretation
• Appropriate use criteria

Clinicians learn how biomarkers can improve diagnostic precision and treatment planning.

Neurodegenerative Dementias

Detailed reviews include:

Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)

• Clinical features
• Hallucinations
• Cognitive fluctuations
• REM sleep behavior disorder
• Biomarker findings
• Treatment strategies

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)

• Behavioral variant FTD
• Primary progressive aphasia
• Clinical phenotypes
• Diagnostic challenges

Parkinson’s Disease Dementia (PDD)

• Cognitive manifestations
• Disease progression
• Management considerations

Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI)

• Vascular risk factors
• Imaging findings
• Prevention strategies
• Treatment approaches

Neuropsychological Assessment

Participants review:

• Cognitive screening tools
• Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
• Mental Status Examination (MSE)
• Neuropsychological testing
• Cognitive domain assessment
• Interpretation of testing patterns
• Differential diagnosis of cognitive disorders

Practical office-based approaches are emphasized.

Neuroimaging in Dementia

Topics include:

• Structural MRI
• Functional imaging
• Amyloid imaging
• Tau imaging
• Neurodegenerative patterns
• Differential diagnosis using imaging
• Clinical integration of imaging findings

New Disease-Modifying Therapies

A major focus of the course includes:

• Recently approved Alzheimer’s therapies
• Anti-amyloid treatments
• Patient selection
• Monitoring protocols
• Safety considerations
• ARIA management
• Future therapeutic pipelines

Participants gain practical guidance on integrating new therapies into clinical practice.

Behavioral and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms

Coverage includes:

• Agitation
• Aggression
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Apathy
• Psychosis
• Sleep disturbances
• Behavioral interventions
• Pharmacologic management

Faculty emphasize non-pharmacologic strategies as first-line treatment.

Dementia Caregiver Support

Sessions explore:

• Caregiver burden
• Family counseling
• Stress reduction strategies
• Community resources
• Respite care
• Long-term planning
• Improving caregiver resilience

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

Participants review:

• Clinical features
• Risk factors
• Neuropathology
• Diagnostic challenges
• Current evidence

Delirium and Encephalopathy

Topics include:

• Recognition of delirium
• Differential diagnosis
• Prevention strategies
• Management approaches
• Relationship between delirium and dementia

Neuroethics and Legal Issues

Important discussions include:

• Capacity assessments
• Financial competence
• Driving safety
• Guardianship
• Advance care planning
• Disclosure of diagnosis
• Informed consent
• Ethical dilemmas in dementia care

Palliative and End-of-Life Care

Coverage includes:

• Advanced dementia management
• Hospice care
• Symptom management
• Pain recognition
• Goals-of-care discussions
• End-of-life decision-making

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate normal aging, MCI, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias.
• Apply current Alzheimer’s Association clinical practice guidelines.
• Utilize cognitive screening tools and neuropsychological testing effectively.
• Integrate biomarkers into dementia diagnosis and management.
• Interpret MRI, PET, CSF, and blood-based biomarker findings.
• Evaluate newly approved disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.
• Implement evidence-based pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments.
• Recognize and manage neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia.
• Support caregivers through education and practical interventions.
• Address medico-legal, ethical, and safety concerns in dementia care.
• Apply palliative care principles throughout the dementia continuum.

Educational Features

✔ Harvard Medical School Faculty

✔ Comprehensive Dementia Review

✔ Alzheimer’s Disease Updates

✔ Dementia Biomarker Training

✔ Amyloid & Tau PET Imaging

✔ Disease-Modifying Therapy Updates

✔ Neuropsychology and Cognitive Testing

✔ Behavioral Symptom Management

✔ Caregiver Support Strategies

✔ Neuroethics and End-of-Life Care

Target Audience

This course is designed for:

• Neurologists
• Psychiatrists
• Geriatricians
• Primary Care Physicians
• Internal Medicine Physicians
• Family Medicine Physicians
• Neuropsychologists
• Physician Assistants
• Nurse Practitioners
• Psychologists
• Social Workers
• Memory Clinic Providers
• Healthcare Professionals Involved in Dementia Care

Why This Course Matters

The landscape of dementia care is undergoing a historic transformation driven by advances in biomarkers, neuroimaging, disease-modifying therapies, and precision diagnostics. Clinicians must now integrate emerging technologies with comprehensive patient-centered care strategies that address cognitive symptoms, behavioral challenges, caregiver needs, and long-term planning.

Harvard Dementia: A Comprehensive Update 2026 provides a practical, evidence-based framework for diagnosing and managing dementia across its entire spectrum, helping clinicians deliver more accurate diagnoses, individualized treatment plans, and improved outcomes for patients and families facing cognitive disorders.

Topics

• Introduction to the Course

• Human Cognition An Overview

• Memory Systems & Amnesia

• Neuropathology of AD ADRD A Guide forPracticing Clinicians

• From Proteinopathies to Neuroimaging & Biomarkers in AD ADRD Primer on Practice and Advances

• Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Dementias Global Perspectives and Opportunities

• Clinical Use of Blood Biomarkers in 2026 and Beyond

• Panel Discussion and Q&A Alireza Atri; Brad Dickerson

• AD Dementia Practical Evaluation & Managementin Clinical Practice

• Mild Cognitive Impairment Prodromal AD and Beyond

• Advances in AD Experimental Therapeutics + Panel Discussion and Q&A

• Neuropsychology of Aging

• Attentional and Executive Systems – Don’t Leave Home without Them

• Frontotemporal Dementias Focus on Behaviorall Executive Variants

• Language Systems & Aphasia-predominant Dementia Syndromes

• Updates on Vascular Cognitive Impairment & Dementia

• Panel Discussion and Q&A

• Lewy Body Disease, and Parkinsonian & Sensorimotorpredominant Dementias

• Assessment of Cognition in Clinical Practice

• Practical Compensatory Strategies for Cognitive Decline

• Assessment of Daily Function and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Behavior and Staging of Dementia in Practice

• Cased-based Discussion of Lecanemab and Donanemab

• Panel Discussion and Q&A

• Non-Pharmacological Approaches to Neuropsychiatric Symptoms and Problem Behaviors in Dementia

• Pharmacological Management of Behavioral Problems in Dementia

• Practical & Ethical Considerations for Disclosure of Demetia-Related Diagnosis and Risk

• Caregiving in Dementia Impact, Consequences & Opportunities

• Panel Discussion and Q&A

• Community Advocacy and Activism For Dementias

• Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) & Dementia

• Delirium, Encephalopathies and Uncommon Dementias

• Panel Discussion, Q&A and Conclusions

• Dementia & The Law Clinical Pearls on Testamentary Capacity and Undue Influence

• Principles & Practice of Mental Capacity and Competence in Dementia From Finances to Firearms

• Driving, Home & Community Safety and Dementia

• Advance Care Planning & Management of End-stage Dementia, Pain, Palliation & Hospice in Long-Term Care

• Panel Discussion, Q & A, and conclusions