What if a brain scan was enough to detect Alzheimer’s disease (years before the first symptoms)?

In France, approximately 900,000 people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. And this neurodegenerative pathology is expanding rapidly since, according to the Foundation for Medical Research (FRM), 225,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.

Earlier diagnosis for better care

One of the main challenges of Alzheimer’s disease is its early diagnosis. Because detecting Alzheimer’s early not only allowsfaster access to treatments which can slow the progression of the disease, but alsoensure a better quality of life for the patient and those around them through appropriate support. The earlier the diagnosis is made, the quicker this support can be implemented.

Exactly: a new study, carried out by McGill University (in Canada), may have found a way to predict early and reliable development of Alzheimer’s disease, years before the first symptoms appear.

Detecting Alzheimer’s before the first symptoms

Canadian researchers studied two types of brain scans from 100 volunteers, all with a family history of Alzheimer’s disease: the first scan identified protein clumps in the brain, while the second scan assessed brain activity.

The result? Canadian scientists found that patients who had both amyloid plaques and tau protein clumps in their brains suffered from a brain hypoactivity – that is to say, a “slowing down” of their brain. This hypoactivity was also likely to cause symptoms: memory loss and attention disorders.

“Early detection of tau protein and amyloid plaque buildup in the brains of patients with a family history of Alzheimer’s disease could lead to earlier treatment of the disease” the researchers emphasize.

Source : Nature Neuroscience