New way to spot dementia early

Leaky blood vessels in the brain can be an early indication of dementia, according to research from the University of Southern California in the U.S.

Participants were given memory tests, including remembering a list of words. Based on their performance, they were given a clinical dementia score from zero (‘normal’) to three (‘severe dementia’).

The researchers then analysed a sample of their cerebral spinal fluid to assess whether tiny blood vessels serving the hippocampus — the part of the brain that processes memory — had leaked. Participants with the worst dementia ratings had the most leakage.

The researchers suggest drugs could be developed to repair blood vessels and slow the progress of the disease.