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Neuropalliative Care in Dementia
Neal Weisbrod. CONTINUUM Lifelong Learning in Neurology, 2025-12-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
OBJECTIVE: Patients and their caregivers and families confronting dementia often face heavy burdens from difficult-to-control symptoms, uncertainty about the future, and a high risk of care partner burnout. This article explores common palliative care dilemmas in dementia care and reviews evidence-based approaches to management. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Research has recently accumulated about epidemiologic trends and racial disparities in dementia prevalence. Dementia-specific advance directives are being explored to help improve the ability of patients and their families to plan for the future. Although major breakthroughs have been elusive in the treatment of many common symptoms of dementia, research has further delineated the risks and benefits of many commonly used medications to guide routine clinical practice and added a few new options. Regarding deprescribing to limit polypharmacy in patients with dementia, new data about the mortality benefits of cholinesterase inhibitors must be weighed against the potential benefits of simplification. Additionally, research on survival in dementia has provided a more sophisticated tool to individualize prognostication for each patient. ESSENTIAL POINTS: Dementia is a common and often highly burdensome disease process for patients, their caregivers and families, and the community at large. Palliating symptoms and providing guidance surrounding advance care planning and prognostication should be integral components of the management plan for patients with dementia in all settings.
Key findings
- Although major breakthroughs have been elusive in the treatment of many common symptoms of dementia, research has further delineated the risks and benefits of many commonly used medications to guide routine clinical practice and added a few new options.
- Regarding deprescribing to limit polypharmacy in patients with dementia, new data about the mortality benefits of cholinesterase inhibitors must be weighed against the potential benefits of simplification.
- Additionally, research on survival in dementia has provided a more sophisticated tool to individualize prognostication for each patient.
- ESSENTIAL POINTS: Dementia is a common and often highly burdensome disease process for patients, their caregivers and families, and the community at large.
- Palliating symptoms and providing guidance surrounding advance care planning and prognostication should be integral components of the management plan for patients with dementia in all settings.
Why it matters
This review of neuropalliative care in dementia notes that major breakthroughs have been elusive in treating many common symptoms of dementia, though research has clarified risks and benefits of commonly used medications. It discusses weighing mortality benefits of cholinesterase inhibitors against simplification when deprescribing.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 28/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on institution's track record, so that was left out: it earned 27 of the 97 points we could judge it on, which is 28 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (CONTINUUM Lifelong Learning in Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | CONTINUUM Lifelong Learning in Neurology: journal h-index 79 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 0 / 4 | Last-listed author Neal Weisbrod: h-index 4 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 0 institution(s) in 0 countries — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41328935) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 27 / 97 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 27 of the 97 points we could judge it on is 28 out of 100. |
| Total | 28 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Weisbrod, N. (2025). Neuropalliative Care in Dementia. CONTINUUM Lifelong Learning in Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/cont.0000000000001639
Vancouver
Weisbrod N. Neuropalliative Care in Dementia. CONTINUUM Lifelong Learning in Neurology. 2025. doi:10.1212/cont.0000000000001639. PMID: 41328935.
BibTeX
@article{weisbrod2025-41328935,
author = {Weisbrod, Neal},
title = {{Neuropalliative Care in Dementia}},
journal = {CONTINUUM Lifelong Learning in Neurology},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1212/cont.0000000000001639},
pmid = {41328935},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/cont.0000000000001639}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 15.