Neck scan to give warning of dementia

A FIVE-minute neck scan could reveal a key cause of dementia up to a decade before people experience symptoms, a study says.

Screening the fragile blood vessels supplying the brain may detect cognitive decline early, as ageing and high blood pressure are linked to damage in cells.

A pulse generated by the heart, usually cushioned by the body, was found to grow stronger in those at risk of brain degeneration.

Dr Scott Chiesa, of the University College London, said: “It’s a measurable and potentially treatable cause of cognitive decline in middle-aged adults which can be spotted in advance.”

Dementia affects around 850,000 people in the UK.