It has been just revealed the fact that there’s a new breakthrough in detecting early Alzheimer’s. Check out the latest reports about the matter below.
Interesting discoveries in Alzheimer’s detection
It is possible that scientists have found a new way to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in its early stages, which could lead to early detection in the future.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that affects roughly 5.8 million Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is a type of dementia that is associated with memory loss and cognitive decline in areas of the brain that are responsible for thought, memory, and language.
The cause of Alzheimer’s is believed to be the abnormal accumulation of proteins in and around brain cells, but the trigger for this is still unknown.
Early diagnosis
Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating condition for which there is currently no known cure. However, there are new medications that may provide some relief to patients and slow down the progression of symptoms, especially if the disease is diagnosed early.
According to Per Nilsson, an associate professor at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, the disease begins to develop 20 years before symptoms appear, making early detection crucial.
With the advent of retardant medications, it is even more important to detect the disease early. In 2022, scientists developed a simple blood test that can identify the presence of abnormal proteins that signal the early stages of Alzheimer’s, before symptoms become apparent.
However, a recent study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry has revealed that an increase in metabolism in the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory and learning, can serve as an early indicator of the disease.
This discovery could lead to earlier diagnostic testing and treatment, potentially improving the outcomes for those affected by Alzheimer’s.
