The 2-minute test to spot dementia early

A PIONEERING test could dramatically increase early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, according to researchers.

They have developed a two-minute check to measure how brain waves respond to a series of images which could help identify dementia years earlier.

Participants look at a series of flashing images on a computer screen wearing a special cap which records the data.

Researchers at the University of Bath said the technique was highly effective at picking up small, subtle changes in brain waves which occur when a person remembers an image.

They added that it was a passive test, meaning participants did not need to understand the task or respond.

The system called Fastball EEG was cheap, portable and relied on technology already used in hospitals, the researchers said. EEG means electroencephalogram, which is a recording of brain activity.

Scientists are beginning to use the technique in a study of the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

The disease is the underlying cause of around 60 per cent of dementia cases and estimates suggest it costs the economy £26billion a year. Alzheimer’s is currently identified by examining cognitive decline, often with memory tests.

But earlier diagnosis could help with prescribing medication and allow lifestyle changes to slow the disease. The academics hope that Fastball EEG could help lower the age of diagnosis by up to five years.

Lead researcher Dr George Stothart said: ‘We are at a really exciting stage.’ The study was funded by Alzheimer’s charity BRACE and published in the journal Brain.