Simple Non-Invasive Test For Early Detection of Alzheimer’s

According to medical experts, elderly adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are more likely to develop neurodegenerative ailments like Alzheimer’s. Dr. George Stothart, a cognitive neuroscientist and senior lecturer in the Psychology Department of the University of Bath, UK, believes that currently Alzheimer’s is diagnosed at least 20 years later than it should have been.

Hence, he has developed a new study involving a 3-minute, non-invasive assessment that helps identify Alzheimer’s symptoms in MCI patients. Known as the Fastball ECG, this passive test is based on the automatic recognition of objects by a person’s brain.

Two groups of elderly people (one involving MCI patients and the other healthy people) took this study. They had to watch a screen where different images kept flashing, and some images were repeatedly displayed. An electroencephalogram (EEG) was used to measure the brain waves of the participants to understand how quickly they observed the images, the speed at which they identified image repetitions, and other factors.

The study showed that people with MCI had trouble processing the images, making them more prone to Alzheimer’s later. This new study needs more research, though. However, if recognised, it can help to slow down the Alzheimer’s progression in patients and introduce them to the appropriate drugs much earlier, thereby increasing the chances of their quick recovery.

Source: Medical News Today