Summary: New research challenges the long-held view that memory loss is the defining early sign of dementia. Instead, the authors argue that attention impairments often emerge earlier and are a common feature across many forms of the syndrome. Focusing on attention—how the brain selects, filters, and sustains information—could lead to earlier detection, more accurate diagnosis, and better support for people living with dementia.
This work shifts the emphasis from “forgetting” to “failing to attend.” The authors show that current diagnostic routes, which emphasize memory tests, can overlook the subtle but meaningful attentional changes that appear in everyday life. The book combines cognitive science, clinical insight, and lived experience, including a carer’s account of attentional overload and practical examples of how natural environments can help restore focus.
Key Facts
- The “Attention First” view: Alterations in the brain’s ability to filter irrelevant information and maintain focus may precede measurable memory decline, making attention a sensitive early marker for the condition.
- Diagnostic blind spots: Conventional clinical assessments prioritize visible memory loss; the authors call for systemic change in how health services screen for cognitive decline so they include attention measures.
- Attention Restoration Theory: Natural settings can reduce cognitive overload by offering gentle, restorative stimulation that allows attention systems to recover—an inexpensive, non-pharmacological approach to improving wellbeing.
- Collaborative series: This volume is the second in a series from the Swansea research team. The first addressed sensory and perceptual change, while a third book on technology and dementia is under development.
Source: Swansea University
A New Approach to Dementia: Examining Attention Impairment, written by Professor Andrea Tales of the School of Health and Social Care with colleagues and former students, is among the first books to place attention impairments—not memory dysfunction—at the centre of understanding dementia. It draws on a growing evidence base to show how attention changes appear across different dementia types and frequently before memory problems become apparent.
Professor Tales, Personal Chair in Neuropsychology and Dementia Research, said: “Working with current and former students has been a privilege and always an enjoyable experience. This book builds on our first volume, which explored sensory and perceptual changes and was co-produced with people living with dementia and their caregivers. I’m proud our collaborative approach continues to grow and to highlight aspects of dementia that are too often overlooked.”
The book combines theoretical foundations, clinical practice, and accounts of lived experience. It explains how attention and executive function interact, how automatic and controlled cognitive processes change during dementia, and why a memory-centric approach in diagnosis can miss early attentional symptoms. The authors also tackle the challenge of defining “attention,” drawing on classic frameworks, everyday language, and modern cognitive research to clarify what clinicians and carers should look for.
A chapter written from a carer’s perspective translates scientific concepts into everyday situations, describing how attentional overload can disrupt conversations, planning, and routine tasks. Another chapter introduces Attention Restoration Theory and details how exposure to green spaces, gardens, or calm natural sights can ease cognitive strain, reduce agitation, and improve engagement.
Beyond its scientific contribution, the book is a model of academic collaboration. Conceived by Professor Tales, it brings together colleagues and former doctoral and postdoctoral researchers who continue to work together after leaving Swansea. The group aims to advance research while also giving early-career researchers experience in public-facing writing and communicating research beyond academic journals.
Co-author Dr Clive Thomas, Programme Manager for the Strategic Programme for Mental Health at NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, commented: “Working with Professor Tales has been invaluable. Her grasp of the tensions between clinical practice and academic enquiry helped me understand why conventional, memory-focused assessment services need to evolve. Our continued collaboration reflects a shared commitment to system change and to investigating under-examined aspects of dementia.”
Key Questions Answered
A: No—being distracted occasionally is normal. The book explains that dementia-related attentional change is different in quality: the brain progressively loses its automatic filtering ability, so background noise and irrelevant information become harder to ignore. This change can make routine tasks, like following conversations in noisy places, disproportionately taxing.
A: Memory loss is highly visible and easy to measure with simple tests, which made it the obvious diagnostic focus. Attention is subtler and harder to quantify, yet it shapes how information is processed before it can be remembered. The authors argue that focusing on memory alone overlooks critical early changes in cognition.
A: Attention Restoration Theory suggests that busy urban environments deplete mental resources. Natural settings provide gentle, engaging stimuli—“soft fascination”—that help attention systems recover. Incorporating natural elements into care settings can reduce stress, lower agitation, and support clearer thinking.
Editorial Notes
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- The journal paper was reviewed in full.
- Additional context was added by editorial staff.
About this dementia research news
Author: Ffion White
Source: Swansea University
Contact: Ffion White – Swansea University
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News