Current capacity of Portuguese specialized dementia centers in the era of anti-amyloid antibodies.

@article{tabuaspereira2026current,
  title = {{Current capacity of Portuguese specialized dementia centers in the era of anti-amyloid antibodies.}},
  author = {Miguel Tábuas-Pereira and Anuschka Silva-Spínola and Catarina Agostinho and Luísa Alves and Rui Araújo and Catarina Bernardes and Mariana Branco and Cláudia Borbinha and Verónica Cabreira and Sónia Costa and Alexandra Dias Silva and João Durães and Pedro Faustino and Catarina Félix and Andreia Fernandes and Joaquim Ferreira and Miguel Gago and Cláudia Guarda and Cristina Ionel and Joana Jesus-Ribeiro and Inês Laranjinha and André Leitão and Liliana Letra and Pedro Lopes das Neves and Luis F Maia and Álvaro Machado and Bárbara Martins and João Massano and Alexandre Mendonça and Marcelo Mendonça and Rita Miguel and Miguel Miranda and Joana Morgado and Camila Nóbrega and Maria Pereira Coutinho and Tiago Oliveira and Fernando Pita and Francisco Sabença and Sofia Rocha and Luis Ruano and Telma Santos and Frederico Simões do Couto and Ricardo Taipa and Vitor Tedim Cruz and Ana H Valverde and Ana Vélon and Ana Verdelho and Miguel Viana Baptista and Daniela Vieira and Marisa Lima and Tiago Gil Oliveira and Isabel Santana and Scientific Alliance of Units Dedicated to Alzheimer's Disease (SAUDAD) consortium},
  journal = {Alzheimer's \& dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands)},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1002/dad2.70513},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42953259},
  note = {CC BY-NC},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Current capacity of Portuguese specialized dementia centers in the era of anti-amyloid antibodies.
AU  - Miguel Tábuas-Pereira
AU  - Anuschka Silva-Spínola
AU  - Catarina Agostinho
AU  - Luísa Alves
AU  - Rui Araújo
AU  - Catarina Bernardes
AU  - Mariana Branco
AU  - Cláudia Borbinha
AU  - Verónica Cabreira
AU  - Sónia Costa
AU  - Alexandra Dias Silva
AU  - João Durães
AU  - Pedro Faustino
AU  - Catarina Félix
AU  - Andreia Fernandes
AU  - Joaquim Ferreira
AU  - Miguel Gago
AU  - Cláudia Guarda
AU  - Cristina Ionel
AU  - Joana Jesus-Ribeiro
AU  - Inês Laranjinha
AU  - André Leitão
AU  - Liliana Letra
AU  - Pedro Lopes das Neves
AU  - Luis F Maia
AU  - Álvaro Machado
AU  - Bárbara Martins
AU  - João Massano
AU  - Alexandre Mendonça
AU  - Marcelo Mendonça
AU  - Rita Miguel
AU  - Miguel Miranda
AU  - Joana Morgado
AU  - Camila Nóbrega
AU  - Maria Pereira Coutinho
AU  - Tiago Oliveira
AU  - Fernando Pita
AU  - Francisco Sabença
AU  - Sofia Rocha
AU  - Luis Ruano
AU  - Telma Santos
AU  - Frederico Simões do Couto
AU  - Ricardo Taipa
AU  - Vitor Tedim Cruz
AU  - Ana H Valverde
AU  - Ana Vélon
AU  - Ana Verdelho
AU  - Miguel Viana Baptista
AU  - Daniela Vieira
AU  - Marisa Lima
AU  - Tiago Gil Oliveira
AU  - Isabel Santana
AU  - Scientific Alliance of Units Dedicated to Alzheimer's Disease (SAUDAD) consortium
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/28
JO  - Alzheimer's & dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
DO  - 10.1002/dad2.70513
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42953259
AB  - Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a major cause of cognitive decline and societal burden. The recent approval of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) lecanemab and donanemab represents a paradigm shift in AD treatment. We assessed the preparedness of Portuguese centers to implement DMTs. A nationwide survey-based cross-sectional service-capacity study targeted memory clinics, focusing primarily on National Health System (NHS) centers. Data were collected on clinical capacity, diagnostic access, treatment capability, and research activity. Among 51 responding units, 20 had organized memory clinics (17 in the NHS), covering 60.7% of the population. In 2024, these centers conducted 21,721 consultations, representing expert care for <10% of the total AD patients estimated to exist in Portugal. Bottlenecks included long waiting times and limited biomarker access (26.2% underwent cerebrospinal fluid or amyloid positron emission tomography). Nationwide, from experts' estimates, 701 patients could currently start treatment. Portugal's current NHS capacity appears insufficient for broad DMT implementation, requiring major investment in diagnostics, training, infrastructure, and research to ensure equitable and effective treatment access.
SN  - 2352-8729
ER  -