Test for over-50s could spot early dementia signs

A BRAIN test could screen over-50s for Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms develop, scientists say.

The simple mental MOT measuring memory, language and other thought processes, such as awareness, can detect the earliest signs of the devastating neurological disorder.

Catching Alzheimer’s early will give doctors more time to intervene and slow the progression of the disease, by advising lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and more exercise.

Scientists believe a “baseline” test should be carried out before symptoms appear. This could be compared to later tests to see if there has been any decline in cognitive ability.

If a decline is detected, no matter how small, a brain scan could then confirm if the disease triggering proteins, known as amalyoid and tau, are present.

Professor Duke Han, of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, said: “Having a baseline measure of cognition before noticing any kind of cognitive change or decline could be helpful because it is hard to diagnose early Alzheimer’s disease if you don’t have a frame of reference to compare to.

Decline

“If people would consider getting a baseline evaluation by a qualified neuropsychologist at age 50 or 60, then it could be used as a way to track whether someone is experiencing a true decline in cognition in the future.

“While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, the earlier you know you are at risk of developing it, the more you can potentially do to help stave off that diagnosis in the future.

“For example, exercise, cognitive activity and social activity have been shown brain health.”

The tests measured cognitive function, memory, language, spatial awareness, processing speed, and executive function, which is the brain’s control centre.

Researchers collected results from 61 studies and found adults over 50, with amyloid plaques, performed worse than those who did not. And people with tangles of tau proteins in their brain performed worse on memory tests than those with amyloid plaques.

Professor Han said the findings published in Neuropsychology Review provide a strong argument for incorporating cognitive testing into routine, annual checkups for older people.

About 850,000 Britons suffer from dementia, a figure that will reach a million by 2025 and two million by 2050.

Two years ago another US team found early signs of Alzheimer’s may appear 18 years before symptoms occur. to improve