Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional clinical stage between healthy aging and dementia. It involves early changes in memory or other cognitive abilities—such as language, attention, executive functions or visuospatial skills—while people are still able to manage their essential daily activities independently. Although these changes may be subtle at first, they often progress gradually over time (1,2). As the global population continues to age—reaching an estimated 2.1 billion older adults by 2050— MCI has become an increasingly relevant public health issue. Current evidence suggests that between 6.7% and 25.2% of adults over the age of 60 are affected, with higher prevalence associated with older age and lower levels of education (1).

Early identification of MCI may help delay progression to dementia, making it essential to understand how common it is and who it affects. However, timely detection and accurate diagnosis remain major challenges. Cognitive and behavioral symptoms are frequently overlooked, undisclosed, or misattributed to normal aging, leading to delays in appropriate care. These delays can result in unnecessary distress for individuals and their families, increased healthcare costs, and missed opportunities for early support or treatment. Many of the barriers are multifactorial, but they could be reduced through the use of evidence-based, patient-centered assessment and communication processes that are feasible in both primary and specialized care settings (1,2).

In this context, nursing plays a key role in the early detection and management of MCI. Nurses caring for older adults across different settings are often among the first to notice subtle changes over time, receive subjective cognitive complaints, or apply initial cognitive screening tools that help guide referral to the most appropriate healthcare professional or service. Through continuous monitoring, nurses assess and document changes in cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning, enabling the early identification of cognitive decline and related risks. Beyond detection, nurses act as therapeutic allies by implementing prevention strategies that promote healthy aging, supporting early interventions and cognitive stimulation, and fostering overall well-being through person-centered and practical care (3,4).

Building on this practical role of nursing, the DENDRITE project (PMP22/00084) provides a concrete example of how early detection and prevention of MCI can be translated into real-world practice. DENDRITE is the first nationally funded initiative in Spain in this field to feature nurse-led coordination and interdisciplinary collaboration, highlighting the growing role of nursing in translational research with strong potential for application in community and primary care. The project aims to implement personalized precision medicine to identify MCI early in adults aged 55 to 70, thereby promoting healthy aging. By bringing together clinicians and researchers from multiple disciplines, DENDRITE seeks to develop a personalized diagnostic approach with direct clinical applicability, integrating clinical, multiomic, healthcare, social, environmental, voice, and behavioral data and using advanced artificial intelligence to support early, proactive, and person-centered care.

Launched in 2023 and running until June 2026, the DENDRITE project is being carried out across six Spanish regions and seven primary healthcare centers located in diverse geographic areas. The study includes a total sample of 1,050 cognitively healthy adults, along with a calibration group of 100 participants diagnosed with MCI. The overall aim is to develop a simple, cost-effective, and actionable tool for the early preclinical detection of individuals at risk of cognitive impairment, designed for integration into routine primary care practice. By enabling timely and targeted interventions, this approach has the potential to reduce diagnostic delays, optimize healthcare resources, and promote more equitable access to care, ultimately improving population health and quality of life. Data analysis will begin soon, and the research team looks forward to sharing early findings and insights in the near future.

We invite interested readers to follow the project and stay informed about its progress through our website and social media channels on Instagram and Twitter.

Andrea Ropero-Sánchez

A nurse and predoctoral researcher focused on cognitive health, aging, and the role of nursing in older adult care. She conducts her predoctoral research at the Nursing and Healthcare Research Unit (Investén-isciii) of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Madrid, Spain), while pursuing her PhD at the University of Vic (Barcelona, Spain).

REFERENCES

(1) Salari, N., Lotfi, F., Abdolmaleki, A., Heidarian, P., Rasoulpoor, S., Fazeli, J., Najafi, H., & Mohammadi, M. (2025). The global prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in geriatric population with emphasis on influential factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC geriatrics, 25(1), 313. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-05967-w

(2) Atri, A., Dickerson, B. C., Clevenger, C., Karlawish, J., Knopman, D., Lin, P. J., Norman, M., Onyike, C., Sano, M., Scanland, S., & Carrillo, M. (2025). Alzheimer’s Association clinical practice guideline for the Diagnostic Evaluation, Testing, Counseling, and Disclosure of Suspected Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (DETeCD-ADRD): Executive summary of recommendations for primary care. Alzheimer’s & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, 21(6), e14333. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.14333

(3) Elliott, A. F., Horgas, A. L., & Marsiske, M. (2008). Nurses’ role in identifying mild cognitive impairment in older adults. Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.), 29(1), 38–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gerinurse.2007.04.015

(4) Von der Lühe, V., Roos, M., Löbberding, M., Peter, S., Scholten, N., Köpke, S., & Dichter, M. N. (2025). Advanced Nursing Roles for People With Cognitive Impairment and Their Relatives in Acute Care Hospitals: A Systematic Review. Journal of advanced nursing, 10.1111/jan.17053. Advance online publication https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.17053