Disease progression
Once the diagnosis has been made, there are different stages of severity of the disease that correspond to a “predictable” progression of this pathology. However, there are many interindividual variations.
Alzheimer’s disease progresses in three phases:
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A preclinical phase
i.e. without symptoms (duration unknown)
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A phase known as prodrome
or pre-dementia
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A dementia phase
Pre-clinical diagnosis is currently only possible through genetic testing in rare hereditary forms of the disease.
The “dementia phase” can be described as a progressive loss of independence divided into three stages: mild, moderate, and severe. The onset of multiple cognitive deficits leads to a significant impairment of social functioning with the appearance of behavioral disorders (opposition, agitation, aggression, etc.). In the severe stage of the disease, there is a total lack of functional autonomy (bedridden, eating disorders, mutism).