Avoiding Delays in Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis

In this video, PA Jordan Mast explores why Alzheimer’s disease is often diagnosed later than ideal—and why earlier recognition of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) matters as diagnostic and treatment options evolve. He reviews factors that can obscure early symptoms, including sex-related differences on verbal memory screening, high cognitive reserve in highly educated patients, neuro-atypical or psychiatric conditions, medication effects, and language barriers.

PA Mast emphasizes that MCI is defined by decline from an individual’s baseline—not a single screening score—and encourages PAs to watch for subtle functional change, gather collateral history, and use culturally and linguistically appropriate assessment. The video also previews additional tools beyond brief screeners and reinforces the importance of timely referral and follow-up when concerns persist.

Key Takeaways:

Some patient characteristics can make it difficult to detect MCI.
Verbal and written screening tools remain an important component of detecting MCI, but additional tools can provide a more complete picture of the patient’s cognitive health.

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Speaker

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Jordan Mast, MMS, PA-C

References and Additional Resources:

Emrani S, Sundermann EE. Sex/gender differences in the clinical trajectory of Alzheimer’s disease: Insights into diagnosis and cognitive reserve. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2025;77:101184. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39951912/

Elkana O, Tal N, Oren N, Soffer S, Ash EL. Is the cutoff of the MoCA too high? Longitudinal data from highly educated older adults. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2020;33(3):155-160. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31500493/

Janicki MP, Hendrix J, McCallion P. Examining adults with neuroatypical conditions for mci/dementia during cognitive impairment assessments: report of the neuroatypical conditions expert consultative panel. Published 2022. Accessed March 16, 2026. https://lumindidsc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/20220218_Neuroatypical_Panel_2_EmbeddedPDF.pdf

Bangash A, Bharmal Q. A dementia‐like picture: could it be the medication? Progress Neurol Psych. 2021;25(3):21-24. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353809095_A_dementia-like_picture_could_it_be_the_medication

Stimmel MB, Orkaby AR, Ayers E, Verghese J, Nsubayi CK, Weiss EF. Is the Montreal cognitive assessment culturally valid in a diverse geriatric primary care setting? Lessons from the Bronx. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2024;72(3):850-857. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10947962/

Supported by

Jordan Mast, MMS, PA-C

Jordan Mast is a board-certified physician associate (PA) with a focus on general neurology at the Colorado Neurological Clinic in Denver, CO. He attended Midwestern University and has over 13 years of experience practicing as a PA in neurology. Jordan Mast has a special interest in providing education to other healthcare providers, patients, and industry professionals regarding best practices in management of neurological conditions and often serves as a speaker and consultant for medical education. Throughout his career, he has participated in several phase 2-4 clinical trials across a range of neurological conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. With his involvement in clinical research, he has developed a strong passion for recognizing and treating Alzheimer’s disease. His family history of Alzheimer’s disease has helped develop this passion in treating patients and providing much needed care to the family members who are also affected.